The lack of a robust regulatory framework for small-scale mining has left thousands vulnerable and trapped in a dangerous game of survival like the zama zamas in an abandoned Stilfontein mine, national chairperson of the MK Party Nkosinathi Nhleko says.
The former police minister told Sunday World that instead of providing pathways to legitimacy and safety for these miners, the current system criminalises them, pushing them further into the shadows.
The tragedy at Stilfontein is not an isolated incident but a manifestation of a larger, more pernicious issue, said Nhleko.
“We are witnessing a profound failure of leadership and humanity,” he declared. “The dismissive rhetoric from certain officials, labelling these desperate miners as ‘criminals’, betrays a shocking indifference to human life. Would they have said the same if the miners were of a different race? I doubt it.”
His criticism extended beyond the immediate crisis. “We need to ask why South Africa has failed to formalise and regulate small-scale mining in a way that uplifts communities rather than criminalises the poor.”
The comparisons to historic mining enterprises, like De Beers, were striking, he said.
“When De Beers began extracting diamonds in 1865, what mining rights did they have? Their beginnings were not so different from today’s zama zamas, yet history has treated them very differently.”
He said the implications were clear: while the powerful and wealthy continued to benefit from the nation’s resources, those who toiled in the shadows remained marginalised and vulnerable.
He said the tragedy at Stilfontein was a harsh reminder that the value of black life in South Africa remained appallingly cheap, a legacy of colonial and apartheid injustices.
“Every death in that mine is a failure of our society to protect its most vulnerable. This is not merely about illegal mining; it is about a systemic failure to provide economic opportunities and ensure safety for all our citizens.
“We must confront these tragedies with empathy, not apathy,” Nhleko urged. “We need a new vision for land reform, resource beneficiation and economic justice that benefits all South Africans and not just the elite few.”
He said the Stilfontein tragedy should be a wake-up call to all South Africans.
“The rights to life and dignity, as enshrined in the Bill of Fundamental Human Rights, must become more than just words on paper. These rights must guide the country’s actions and policies, ensuring that every life is valued and protected.
“The bombast of ‘smoking out criminals’ and letting them ‘die there’’ reflects a dangerous erosion of values,” Nhleko warned.
“We must resist the urge to dehumanise those who are victims of systemic exploitation while allowing the true perpetrators to remain untouched.”
He said the tragedy “is not just about restoring humanity in our response but about fundamentally changing a system that perpetuates inequality and suffering”.
