The South African government has reasserted its authority over illegal miners and vowed to escalate its crackdown, saying they are criminal elements who took over and used abandoned mines to perpetrate crime. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration has refused to back down on its demands that hundreds of illegal miners holed up in a disused mine in Stilfontein near Klerksdorp in the West resurface and surrender themselves or face starvation underground. 

On Thursday, national police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe insisted that the police would press ahead with its Stilfontein operation, adding that they would not “negotiate with criminals”.  

This week, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the government would not assist the illegal miners to come out but “smoke them out”. 

Illegal mining drains South Africa’s economy, with billions of rand lost annually to stolen resources, smuggled goods, and damaged infrastructure. The illicit mining industry has created an informal economy that supports many miners and their communities but disrupts the legal economy.

It is linked to organised crime, with smuggling networks that traffic precious metals and resources across borders. The practice also leads to increased violence in mining communities, and zama zamas often work in hazardous conditions, facing risks of injury, mine collapse, and exposure to toxic substances.

Mathe said 1,171 miners had resurfaced since the crackdown on Stilfontein illegal miners started last week, while others refused. She said despite noting an outcry in some quarters, the police would forge ahead with the operation.

“Our mandate is quite clear. We are here to prevent and combat crime. What is happening down there is a crime, no matter how you try to explain the dire situation. We have got a job to do as the South African police and we are not backing down. What is happening there is illegal. We are not going to negotiate with criminals. We are not going to back down on our efforts to stamp the authority of the State. This operation will continue across the country. Like I am saying, it is yielding the desired results,” Mathe said.  

Last year, police and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) launched a countrywide campaign against illegal mining known as “Operation Vala Umgodi”. This was after heavily armed illegal miners were accused of various crimes, including rape, murder, theft and kidnapping.

The crimes linked to illegal mining included the rapes of eight women while shooting a video in Krugersdorp. Mathe said the miners had played the police and refused to resurface after the government acceded to their food and water demands. 

She said reports that 4,500 miners remained underground were “far-fetched.” Mathe added that the number stood at just over 300. Since the start of the operation in December 2023, more than 13,000 illegal miners have been arrested for various crimes.  

“I think South Africans are quick to forget what exactly happened a few years [ago] when we started experiencing these incidents of illegal mining. We had eight women that were raped in the Krugersdorp area, of which this particular incident is still under investigation. That particular incident was as a result of illegal mining operations. We used to wake up to dead bodies, about 10 or more of these illegal miners fighting each other. But all those incidents have ceased, and that is because of the work of Operation Vala Umgodi,” Mathe said. 

She added that some were picked for associated crimes such as rape, murders and stock theft. 

“Like I have indicated, you do find that when these illegal miners do not get to the commodity, they then start committing other crimes. There is high levels of murders, rapes, and robberies in communities that are near these illegal mining operations.” 

Mathe maintained that no miners could be described as being trapped underground because it was an illegal operation. She ruled out the possibility of police sending officers underground to retrieve the illegal miners who are refusing to resurface. Apart from the illicit miners being heavily armed, Mathe said, police are trained to fight crime and not to retrieve underground miners. 

After consulting with the Stilfontein Mine’s owners and the Department of Minerals and Resources (DMR), the police decided against sending officers and soldiers underground for safety reasons.

“We have taken a decision that no police officer, no soldier, no government official will go down to an abandoned mine. Firstly, there are hazardous gasses that are flowing in there, there is a high risk of loss of life, and secondly, according to our intelligence, these illegal miners may be heavily armed. When you look at the stats, since December, we have seized more than 369 high-calibre firearms from these illegal mining operations. We have also seized ten thousand rounds of ammunition, we have seized R5 million in cash, as well as R32 million worth of uncut diamonds,” Mathe added.  

The operation occurred as concerned community members gathered outside the mine, hoping for news of their loved ones. One body was pulled out of the shaft by community members who had gone underground to see what was happening.

Pathologists later retrieved the body of the unknown miner amid heavy police presence. One man told the media two of his brothers were underground.

Relatives and families of the illegal miners complained that the police prevented them from giving their loved ones food and water.

Asked by the media, Mathe denied claims that the police blocked food and water from reaching the illegal miners, saying they were enforcing the law. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu visited Stilfontein on Friday and met with stakeholders to discuss the way forward. 

Mining in South Africa began in earnest with the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley in 1867, followed by gold on the Witwatersrand in 1886. These discoveries led to rapid economic growth, foreign investment, and workers.

Throughout the 20th century, South Africa’s mining industry relied on low-cost labour, especially from Black South African men. The migrant labour system and low wages were integral to the industry’s profitability, often leading to harsh conditions and social inequality.

After apartheid ended in 1994, the South African government aimed to address these inequalities through policies like Black Economic Empowerment (BEE). While the mining industry has modernised and regulations have strengthened, the sector continues to face inclusivity, safety, and environmental challenges.

High levels of unemployment, poverty, and inequality drive many individuals to engage in illegal mining as a last-resort income source. Many unmonitored, abandoned mines provide easy access points for illegal miners.

These abandoned sites are often unclaimed and unregulated and can be re-entered without oversight. The high global demand for gold and precious metals has fueled illegal mining, often backed by international smuggling rings.