The deaths of at least 87 illegal miners at the abandoned Stilfontein mine in the North West is among the most avoidable tragedies to have struck democratic South Africa, matched perhaps by the Marikana massacre and the Life Esidimeni scandal. The bodies of the so-called zama zamas were retrieved this week after the government was forced by a court to help rescue the miners. The rescue operation followed a months-long standoff between the miners and the police, who descended on the mine in August last year.

Community leaders and NGOs have for months urged the government to rescue the miners and allow food and water into the mine shaft. The government’s attitude was to treat the area like a crime scene —  refusing to assist those it regarded as criminals. The backdrop of this was the intemperate statement by minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshaveni, after a cabinet meeting in November. She told the media: “We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out.”

Granted, illegal mining is becoming a crisis in South Africa. The activity costs the state billions of rands in foregone taxes. The zama zamas themselves have often become a menace to communities near abandoned mines, who have complained about criminal activities linked to illegal miners — most of whom happen to be illegal foreigners. Heavily armed rival groups often clash over the “ownership” of the shafts. Affected areas include Riverlea in Johannesburg and Primrose in Germiston. 

In the face of the threat posed by the illegal miners’ activities, it was the duty of the police to intervene to restore order, as they are obligated by the law, and as expected by South African citizens. The irony is that the problem of illegal mining, which has taken root in many former mining areas, has grown precisely because of the government’s failure to enforce existing laws. These relate to the ease with which foreigners are able to enter the republic illegally, and stay unapprehended, as well as mining companies failing to meet their obligations when they cease operations, such as proper closure and rehabilitation. In many ways, the crisis is a question of chickens coming home to roost. 

In the broader context of dead mining towns, large-scale unemployment makes activities such as illegal mining an attractive alternative to eke out a living. As long as people lack jobs, illegal mining will continue. The government must move to legalise artisanal mining, a step which has been spoken about but which it seems to have no appetite to implement. While the government’s intervention in enforcing the law may be commendable, the problem will not go away unless the government attends to the underlying issues, including arresting the kingpins who benefit from illegal mining. The SAPS has lauded its operation as a success after arresting more than 1,500 illegal miners. But those who sent them down are still living large, and will likely find other people desperate enough to do their dirty work. 

In the wake of the intervention at Stilfontein, questions have arisen whether the operation could have been handled differently, with more humanity, given the large-scale loss of life. It is hoped this episode will push the government to attend to the causes of illegal mining and to review its handling of the crisis.