In Stilfontein, a tense rescue operation is currently underway at an abandoned mine where illegal miners, known as zama zamas, are trapped. As authorities work to extract those stuck underground, community leaders are pushing for a more sustainable approach to the ongoing issue of illegal mining in the area.
The operation is focused on dismantling an illegal mining operation that has been operating for years at the old Buffelsfontein gold mine. While this rescue mission provides a temporary solution, leaders like Thembile Bortman, a local community figure, are calling for the Department of Mineral Resources to step in with long-term solutions. Bortman highlighted that the community had been advocating for the legalisation of mining activities in the area, pushing for the Department to regulate and formalise operations, which would provide safer, more legitimate alternatives to mine legally.
The MEC for Community Safety in the North West, Wessels Morweng, acknowledged the broader issue, revealing that the government is working on a plan to help zama zamas transition into regulated mining, framing them not as criminals, but as individuals in need of support. “There’s a plan on the part of government to see how best we can help people to mine. Those ones will be considered because they are not criminals,” Morweng said, signalling a shift in how illegal miners could be reintegrated into the formal economy.
While immediate actions are being taken to address the crisis, the call for sustainable, regulated mining solutions remains a priority for the community and local leaders alike.
