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Illegal mining: Gold-bearing material worth R3 million was seized at a gold refinery, during an operation by the Hawks and other agencies.

Illegal and unregulated artisanal gold mining on the Witwatersrand Basin, located south of South Africa’s Gauteng province, is an increasing threat to community, industrial and state security. Reports on turf wars between rival gangs, or shootouts between illegal miners and security officers are commonplace.

It is the result of the state’s failure to formalise artisanal mining as a livelihood strategy and the police’s inability or unwillingness to control

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.

Artisanal gold mining is highly organised and rule-bound. Men, women and even children participate a hierarchy sustained by a web of buyers, sponsors and customers.