Abstract
South Africa faces an unprecedented challenge of illegal gold mining where people visit decommissioned mines to mine for gold. Undocumented immigrants, mostly from neighbouring countries, are at the forefront of this activity. This type of mining has been deemed illegal by the government of South Africa. Most of these decommissioned mines are unstable as they have not received any rehabilitation since their last use. Consequently, a lot of accidents have been reported where people have lost their lives. Turf fighting has also resulted in loss of life as rivals compete for access and control of rich deposits. This study explored the lived experiences of undocumented immigrants participating in illegal gold mining. The study sought to understand the personal reasons for joining this activity, challenges faced as well as the coping strategies used by them to manage the challenges they face. The study focused on illegal immigrants residing in Lindelani informal settlement.
The literature reviewed shows that the challenge of illegal mining is closely related to the general challenge of undocumented immigrants in South Africa. Due to unstable economic and political environments in neighbouring countries, people are migrating to South Africa to look for jobs. South Africa is also struggling economically and with little education and marketable skills, these undocumented immigrants become desperate when they get to South Africa and fail to secure employment. Such undocumented immigrants turn to illegal gold mining as they strive to survive in South Africa.
Qualitative data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with participants. The findings show that economic factors in neighbouring countries are largely responsible for people coming to South Africa and later becoming involved in illegal gold mining. Violence, police harassment, corruption and deaths were found to be challenges facing the participants. Host families and communities were a major source of support. Participants also perform rituals to appease their ancestors for protection. Group solidarity enables participants to pool their resources and defend themselves. The study recommends that government formalise this mining by enacting a regulatory framework that enables people to mine in disused mines. Revenue collected from this mining should be used to further rehabilitate the mines so that they become safe for mining activities. The study further recommends amendment of the current mining legislation so that it accommodates undocumented immigrants who are already engaged in illegal gold mining.
M.A. (Social Work)