Illegal mining remains a major problem in Gauteng, with thousands of operations identified over the last four years, according to figures tabled by Premier Panyaza Lesufi.
The Democratic Alliance says the number of sites found by authorities has more than doubled since 2022. Most of the activity is happening at abandoned mines spread across the province, with the biggest concentrations in Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg and the West Rand.
Police have made over a thousand arrests in that time. The DA notes that the vast majority of those arrested were undocumented foreign nationals.
DA Gauteng spokesperson for Community Safety Michael Sun said the trend shows illegal mining is fueling violence, environmental damage and fear in nearby communities.
“Illegal mining is thriving in Gauteng, leaving a trail of violence, environmental destruction, economic loss and fear for surrounding communities,” Sun said.
He called for a dedicated Anti-Illegal Mining Task Team made up of police, intelligence, prosecutors and inspectors to go after the criminal syndicates running the operations.
The DA also challenged Lesufi’s earlier claim that government was “continuously breaking the back of zama zamas,” arguing the new figures tell a different story.
Gauteng government spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga pushed back. He said more sites being identified does not mean mining has increased. Instead, he said it reflects better intelligence, stronger detection and more joint operations by police, the SANDF and other agencies.
Mhlanga said existing multi-disciplinary teams are already working to disrupt networks through arrests, equipment seizures and closing illegal access points. He added that the province is prioritizing intelligence-led raids, securing abandoned shafts, increasing visible policing in hotspots, prosecuting syndicate leaders, and rehabilitating old mining infrastructure.
He also paid tribute to two SANDF members who died during an operation targeting suspected illegal miners in western Johannesburg, saying it highlights the risks faced by security forces.
Mining Affected Communities United in Action said arrests alone won’t solve the problem. The group argued the root causes need attention: abandoned and ownerless mines, unemployment, poor rehabilitation, and people being shut out of the formal mining economy.
MACUA called on Parliament to investigate mine closures and governance, and to consider legal pathways for artisanal and small-scale mining.
Illegal mining has been a long-running issue in parts of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and the West Rand. Authorities link syndicates to violent crime, environmental destruction, infrastructure vandalism and the illegal trade in precious metals.
The deaths of the two soldiers and the earlier Stilfontein operation have brought fresh attention to how dangerous and complex the fight against illegal mining has become.
