Sheba zama zamas: Illegal mining exposes sector’s deep-rooted failures – David van Wyk, Bench Marks Foundation

David van Wyk from Bench Marks Foundation joins Africa Melane on Early Breakfast.

Listen below:

Illegal mining is once again in the spotlight.

This time at Sheba mine near Barberton, where over 500 illegal miners have already been arrested.

Police say they don’t know how many remain underground.

Earlier this year, the eyes of the world fell upon Stilfontein, where more than 240 'zama zamas' were rescued and close to 80 dead bodies were recovered from the Buffelsfontein gold mine. 

So what is the solution to the problem of abandoned mines and illegal miners, and what needs to be done to avoid yet another humanitarian disaster?

David van Wyk says a solution to the problem lies first in understanding the 'very serious' problems that exist in the industry.

ALSO READ: Digging deep into the underground world of zama zamas

"We need to go right down to the root of the problem; that large-scale industrial mining in South Africa is in very serious decline."

- David van Wyk, Lead Researcher - Bench Marks Foundation

Van Wyk explains that in 1984, South Africa had 763,000 mine workers.

Today, that number sits at 468,000.

Van Wyk explains that there has been a dramatic increase in retrenchments in the industry in the last five or six years.

That's in part down to large-scale mining companies leaving South Africa and abandoning mines, he says.

And it's these abandoned mines which attract the so-called zama zamas.

"We've got 6,100 abandoned mines... they attract people to go back underground, and especially if you are a former mine worker and your pension has not been paid."

- David Van Wyk, Lead Researcher - Bench Marks Foundation

And therein lies another issue, says van Wyk, noting that there is R47 billion in unpaid pension funds in South Africa.

"The poorest of the poor are mineworkers... and you don't pay them their pensions when you sever your employment agreement with them!"

- David Van Wyk, Lead Researcher - Bench Marks Foundation

Another problem, he says, is mining companies paying workers a 'living out' allowance rather than providing them with decent housing.

"People end up in a squatter camp next to the mine, and when the mine gets abandoned, it's the very people of the squatter camp that begin to strip the mine... and then go underground."

- David Van Wyk, Lead Researcher - Bench Marks Foundation

Van Wyk points the finger at the Department of Mineral Resources for failing to regulate the industry. He says large-scale mining firms are not being held accountable for abandoning mines.

"There is a R50 billion mine closure fund that is available that is not being used properly."

- David Van Wyk, Lead Researcher - Bench Marks Foundation

He argues that it is disingenuous to blame foreign nationals in South Africa.

"We forget that for 150 years foreigners  - from Mozambique, Lesotho -  were the workers in these abandoned mines."

- David Van Wyk, Lead Researcher - Bench Marks Foundation

Zama Zamas are back in the news this week - scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation from Early Breakfast.