Zero tolerance for ‘zama zamas’ as Sibanye declares war on illegal mining
Precious metals miner Sibanye Gold says it will clear all illegal miners from its shafts by the end of January 2018
Westonaria — Illegal gold mining has plagued SA’s mining companies for decades, robbing the industry and state coffers of billions of rand through small-time pilfering as well as networks run by organised crime. Now, with unmined output dwindling and proving more difficult to extract, one firm has had enough: diversified precious metals producer Sibanye Gold says that it will clear all illegal miners from its shafts by the end of January 2018. "We will have them out then," Sibanye’s CEO, Neal Froneman, said. His campaign slogan is Zero Zama, after the Zulu for illegal miners, "zama zamas" or "taking a chance". A Gold Fields spin-off formed in 2013, Sibanye is the first company to set itself a deadline to stop the practice and has set aside R200m to make it happen. The challenge is immense, however. Sibanye may win most of the battles but it will lose the war in a country beset by joblessness, poverty, crime and porous borders, experts say. Most zamas are undocumented immigrants from...
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