Mchunu says plans are in the works to formalize artisanal and small-scale mining

STILFONTEIN – Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said plans are in the works to formalize artisanal and small-scale mining as authorities consider solutions to the rise of illegal mining in some parts of the country.

The second draft of the artisanal and small-scale mining policy was presented to the public in 2021 and was expected to be adopted in early 2024.

However, this process has been thwarted by some bureaucracy.

On Friday, Mchunu met with community leaders in Stilfontein to outline current plans to recover hundreds of zama zama from an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein in the north-west of the country.

He said the government has engaged mining industry leaders to determine how to approach the issue, including stricter controls on the sealing and rehabilitation of disused mines.

“I must qualify this though – the artisanal mechanism I am referring to will be designed exclusively for South Africans near mines, which DMRE (Department of Mineral Resources and Energy) says can continue to benefit communities in those places.”