Illegal gold mining activity has surged across abandoned mine shafts in the Johannesburg area as global gold prices have climbed. The miners, known as zama zamas—a Zulu term meaning roughly “to take a chance”—operate in regions dotted with derelict mining infrastructure left unsealed by companies that ceased operations. According to researchers, tens of thousands of illegal miners operate across South Africa, with estimates suggesting that roughly a tenth of the country’s gold production, valued at approximately $1 billion, is being exported illegally.
The operations have created tensions with local communities and organizations. A Johannesburg animal welfare charity reported in mid-October that illegal miners had depleted water supplies intended for rescued animals. Police have conducted arrests, reporting 71 suspected illegal miners apprehended across the country in a single week, though law enforcement has acknowledged the scale of the problem exceeds their capacity to address. A 2025 incident in Stilfontein drew international attention when 93 bodies were recovered from a mine shaft after police blocked food and water deliveries underground.
Experts dispute the extent to which illegal miners are responsible for visible environmental damage. While illegal mining does cause some structural collapse, researchers point out that formal industrial mining’s dewatering operations—removing hundreds of millions of gallons daily—represent the primary culprit behind sinkholes that have damaged roads including sections of Wemmer Pan Road south of Johannesburg. Illegal miners are similarly scapegoated for violence in mining areas, with researchers noting that feuding gangs controlling shaft access bear greater responsibility than the laborers working underground.
Political attention to illegal mining has intensified ahead of local elections scheduled for 4 November, with officials highlighting environmental damage caused by zama zamas. Meanwhile, South Africa’s mining infrastructure presents ongoing challenges: the government reported 6,100 derelict and ownerless mines and 1,170 unsafe mine openings as of 2025. For some communities, illegal mining provides critical economic support, with local residents noting that without income generated through illegal operations and associated rents, some townships would become economically unviable.
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