The Harsh Reality of South Africa's Crackdown on Illegal Mining

A raid on Daggafontein mine dump in Springs, South Africa, as part of police operation 'Vala uMgodi' has resulted in the death and injury of 'many' illegal miners–colloquially referred to as Zama Zamas, meaning to 'take a chance' in IsiZulu.Operation Vala uMgodi, meaning 'closing the holes' in Nguni, seeks to 'prevent, combat and put a stop to illegal mining activities' in the country. The taskforce became operational in December 2023 and incorporates members of the South African Defence Force (SANDF) and acts in conjunction with the Department of Minerals and Energy..According to local sources, at least 500 miners were present at the dump during the raid on Monday morning, prompting them to run into the adjacent swamp for refuge, as many if not all Zama Zamas are foreign nationals in the country illegally.Security forces then fired rubber bullets at the miners and set the swamp reeds on fire. At least two Zama Zamas are thought to have died on the scene as a result of drowning in the swamp or being caught in the flames, with another thirteen injured..What You Need to Know"The soldiers wanted to kill us, and they succeeded. I've been an illegal miner since 2007, but I've never seen anything like this," said one miner to local press outlet Scrolla Africa.Conflicting reports have emerged in the aftermath of the operation, with police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza claiming authorities returned to the swamp the next day to search for survivors but "the search stopped at 11 p.m. because it was too dark and dangerous. We will keep an eye on the situation."Conversely, residents in the area claimed they contacted police on Tuesday claiming screams could be heard from the swamp."We begged the soldiers to call for help, but they didn't care. Even when the police came back yesterday, they didn't bring divers or search the swamp for bodies," a source told Scrolla journalists..As previously reported, between its establishment in 2023 and early May this year, Vala uMgodi operations, which span seven provinces, had uncovered 7,130 uncut diamonds worth more than 1.7 million USD, 146 firearms, 78 vehicles, 79 trucks, $266,000, and 4,518 rounds of ammunition.Many Zama Zamas who originate from Lesotho are affiliated with Famo music gangs. Famo music is a traditional type of music from Lesotho, which utilizes the accordion, but in recent years has been used to spread ‘diss-track’ type lyrics against different Famo groups.These Zama Zamas oftentimes find themselves in violent disputes while vying for control over South Africa’s most lucrative disused mines.In September 2022, the mutilated bodies of seven Zama Zamas were found along the N1 highway in Maraisburg, with another three bodies with gunshot wounds found the following day. A Zama Zama affiliated with the Terene (a Famo music gang) spoke to local press and claimed the men were attacked by a group of 100 Seakhi (rival Famo gang) members over their use of abandoned mines in the area..So, What Now?The heavy handed tactics utilized by the South African security services in this incident is concerning, particularly in a nation which records tens of xenophobic attacks a year.The some what commonly held belief in the country, pushed by certain political parties is that foreign nationals 'steal' jobs from South African nationals, particularly Zimbabweans. While another belief is that Nigerian nationals engage in illicit activities.These beliefs reached a peak in 2019, when xenophobic riots spread across Johannesburg, resulting in at least 12 deaths, with some victims being burnt alive.Between 2016 and 2019, 127 Nigerians were killed in xenophobic attacks in the country, prompting the repatriation of 600 nationals to Lagos in late 2019.In February this year, the Nigerian Embassy in Pretoria issued a safety advisory to its nationals in the country in the lead up to the African Cup of Nations semi-final, in which Nigeria was set to verse South Africa."The [Nigerian] High Commmission hereby advises the Nigerian community to be watchful of their utterances, be mindful of where they choose to watch the match especially in public places, and refrain from engaging in loud, riotous or provocative celebrations should the Super Eagles win the match," the statement said.Moreover, statements from former Police Minister Bheki Cele allude to the acceptance of the use of heavy handed tactics on Zama Zamas, with the Minister threatening to bury Zama Zamas operating in Riverlea, near Johannesburg, alive in 2023."We are not going to be delaying this issue of closing those holes because there are people that are illegally there, so they must find their way out," the former Minister said.