Just before the midnight hour on Wednesday, in the Angelo informal settlement in Boksburg, an unseen killer snuffed out - at last count - 17 lives in an instant.
There was no gunfire, no violence, merely the silent and deadly menace of nitrate inhalation, believed to be a chilling by-product of South Africa's burgeoning illegal mining sector.
This grim incident underscores an unsettling rise in the activity of ‘zama-zamas’, an isiZulu term translating to ‘those who try to get something from nothing’.
These are desperate individuals who engage in the perilous and unlawful extraction of minerals, often under extraordinarily hazardous conditions.
South Africa's vast mineral wealth, which spans gold, diamonds, coal, and platinum, has always been a double-edged sword.
While providing immense resources for the country's economy, it also has drawn in a swarm of illegal miners, seeking fortune from the shafts abandoned by big mining companies.
But who precisely are the puppet masters behind this vast illegal enterprise?
Many zama-zamas are former miners, victims of an economy that has been shedding jobs for decades. But the real instigators remain elusive and are likely to be part of highly organised criminal networks.
These syndicates have links that weave through the local community, the corrupt sectors of law enforcement, and even into the heart of the international black market.
The menace of illegal mining does not merely lurk beneath the earth's crust. It rears its ugly head in the very midst of communities like Angelo. The zama-zamas and the locals are inextricably intertwined, a volatile mix of economic dependency and fear.
Explosives used in mining operations lead to unstable environments, causing frequent ground collapses. Water sources are poisoned, and communities are displaced. The scenario is a ticking time-bomb of potential catastrophe.
The South African government, grappling with a host of socio-economic issues, acknowledges the illegal mining crisis. Efforts to combat it include police raids and the sealing of abandoned shafts.
However, these have proven largely ineffectual due to the widespread corruption and sheer scale of the problem.
In a parliamentary debate in September last year the Minerals Resources and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, said that illegal mining was primarily driven by illicit financial flows and is distinct from artisan mining, which is a legitimate activity carried out by citizens.
The government had taken steps to address the issue by closing down abandoned mines. So far, three mines have been rehabilitated, but due to limited resources, only 40 holes can be sealed annually, meaning that it will take a long time to seal all existing mine holes.
To combat illegal mining, the government has urged mining companies to rehabilitate their mines while continuing their operations. However, many companies have not complied with this request.
In response, the government has established a multidisciplinary unit involving the police and the Department of Home Affairs to tackle the problem. The minister expressed optimism about their collaborative efforts, citing recent arrests by the police as evidence of progress in combating this serious threat to the mining sector.
While the total cost is challenging to calculate, ANC MP, Mikateko Mahlaule at the same parliamentary debate said that South Africa loses well over R4 billion every year due to illegal mining, costing the country as much as it spent on constructing the Medupi and Kusile power stations.
The Minerals Council South Africa estimates the conservative losses of illegal mining in the region of R7 billion, including through non-payment of taxes and royalties.
So, how do we combat this complex problem?
Observers say that one measure could be to re-examine the country's mining policy and make it feasible for artisanal miners to operate within the law. An inclusive policy, combined with support systems, could help reduce the number of zama-zamas and bring a level of control over the sector.
There is also a pressing need to address the wider socio-economic issues fuelling the rise of illegal mining. With poverty and unemployment rampant, the allure of the mines, no matter how dangerous, remains a potent magnet.
The recent tragedy at the Angelo informal settlement is another stark reminder of the devastating consequences of the zama-zamas' actions. The scars of these clandestine operations run deep, marring not just the landscape, but the very fabric of South African society.
IOL News