KENNEDY MANDUNA | Zama zamas: victims, not criminals
The government should prioritise addressing economic, social and political challenges driving people into illegal mining
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The government should prioritise addressing economic, social and political challenges driving people into illegal mining
The government should prioritise addressing economic, social and political challenges driving people into illegal mining
This month, the bodies of 21 miners were found in a mineshaft in Krugersdorp. They are believed to be among tens of thousands of vulnerable and desperate men who risk going underground to make a living in some of the most perilous working conditions in the world.
There are systemic reasons illegal mining has become such a threat to peace and security, including the state’s failure to nip this unregulated industry in the bud, and the failure to formalise artisanal mining as a livelihood strategy.