Security forces in South Africa have escalated efforts to clamp down on illegal miners. In the Soul City settlement near Kagiso, west of Johannesburg, the army and police conducted searches, seizing mining equipment, and more than 70 people, mostly undocumented migrants, were detained over two days, according to the provincial police commissioner.
The arrests included individuals involved in drug dealing and the possession of illegal firearms. The crackdown comes amid concerns over high unemployment, illegal immigration, and escalating crime, which has become a significant political issue ahead of the upcoming general elections.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, addressing a passing-out ceremony for new police recruits, emphasised the nation’s weariness of crime. He shared that since authorities initiated a crackdown in May, over 250,000 arrests were made and 3,200 firearms were seized.
Illegal miners, commonly known as “zama zamas,” operate in mineral-rich South Africa, particularly in the Johannesburg region, where slag heaps, shafts, and trenches from previous generations of miners are scattered. Many of these informal miners, often from other countries, work in challenging conditions in clandestine pits, which are considered a source of criminality by locals.
Access to old mines is frequently controlled by gangs, leading to territorial conflicts. The intensified crackdown aims to address these issues and improve security in affected regions.