Civil lobby group MACUA criticised for targeting illegal miners not buyers of illicit materials
On Wednesday, the group marched to the offices of the Department of Mineral Resources in five different provinces.
Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) marched in Pretoria on 13 August 2025. Picture: Thabiso Goba/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - Civil lobby group Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) has been criticised for only targeting illegal miners and not the buyers of illicit minerals.
On Wednesday, the group marched to the offices of the Department of Mineral Resources in five different provinces.
Part of their demands to the government is the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale farming.
MACUA criticised Operation Vala Umgodi as inhumane.
Operation Vala Umgodi is a police strategy to deal with illegal mining by closing the access to the mines and forcing the illegal miners out.
However, MACUA’s Sabelo Mnguni said police must take into account that the majority of illegal miners are desperate, unemployed young people.
“The concern that we are having is we are only seeing the zama zama’s or the workers, those who are underground or undocumented. We haven’t seen any arrests in the supply chain itself. We want it to cut across, including the kingpins.”
Police have previously mentioned they have a multi-disciplinary approach to illegal mining, with the Hawks responsible for catching the buyers of illicit minerals.