Illegal mining in Gauteng’s East and West Rand has become a growing threat to communities, prompting the government to intensify its response, Deputy President Paul Mashatile said in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday.
Government, he said, was deeply concerned about the violence, lawlessness, and economic damage associated with illegal mining operations, particularly in informal settlements such as Gugulethu and Sporong.
Speaking during a question session in the NCOP, Mashatile highlighted that illegal mining is often linked to transnational syndicates, illicit financial flows, undocumented migration, and the proliferation of illegal firearms.
He said government had intensified intelligence-driven operations under initiatives such as Operation Vala Umgodi, which included deploying specialised units, disrupting supply chains, arresting perpetrators and syndicate leaders, and seizing equipment in cooperation with the National Prosecuting Authority to secure convictions.
The session was prompted by a question from ANC NCOP member Jane Mananiso, who asked whether the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Committee had investigated the delayed response by the police and other security agencies to the growing problem of illegal mining in the East and West Rand.
She also inquired about government action plans to bring stability and security to affected areas.
Mashatile said that the JCPS cluster continuously assesses operational gaps and strengthens interdepartmental coordination.
He said the South African Police Service responds through a structured escalation model and that national coordination is facilitated by the NATJoints Illegal Mining Priority Committee, which reports to the JCPS cluster.
“This intervention calls for coordinated action between the South African Police, the Hawks, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, Home Affairs, and other agencies,” he said.
He further outlined government’s broader strategy to combat illegal activity through the 12-dimensional National Illicit Economy Disruption Programme, which targets high-risk sectors such as illegal mining, fuel smuggling, and port-linked illicit trade.
Mashatile emphasised that the deployment of the South African National Defence Force to support the police enhanced monitoring and law enforcement efforts in these areas.
“Government remains resolute in restoring order, safeguarding communities, and ensuring that those who profit from criminality face the full might of the law,” he said.
Mananiso followed up, asking about progress in closing the 518 abandoned and ownerless mineshafts identified in Gauteng and whether any action had been taken against mining companies failing to rehabilitate shafts.
Mashatile confirmed that work had begun, with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy now able to plan interventions based on the identification of over 500 mineshafts in Gauteng and more than 6,000 nationally.
He said the JCPS would continue monitoring these efforts and that the police and SANDF were actively involved.
“You will very soon see boots on the ground in those areas. They are planning operations to make sure we get rid of this problem of illegal mining,” he said.
Opposition members also pressed the Deputy President. DA NCOP member Nicola Du Plessis raised concerns about social ills, including violent crimes linked to illegal mining, and questioned why there had been no convictions since a gang-related rape in the West Rand in 2022.
Mashatile acknowledged weaknesses in the criminal justice system, stressing the need for a coordinated, integrated approach to ensure arrests lead to prosecutions and convictions.
EFF NCOP member Mothusi Montwedi criticised the government’s reactive approach, asking why intelligence-led interventions only gained momentum after hundreds of families were forcibly displaced by armed syndicates in January 2026.
Mashatile reiterated the shift to an intelligence-driven policing strategy, emphasising that proactive measures were now being prioritised to prevent such crises.
“The intelligence-led approach is going to assist us to act before problems happen,” he said.
Meanwhile, UDM NCOP member Mattewis Peter questioned whether corruption within the police may have delayed responses to illegal mining and what measures were being implemented to detect and prevent it.
Mashatile acknowledged that bribery could be a factor given the value of resources extracted through illegal mining.
He stressed that government investigations must go beyond those digging to include the buyers of illicit resources, ensuring that the full chain of criminality is addressed.
“We must close that market so that our resources are sold properly and benefit this country,” he said.
IOL Politics
Hope Ntanzi
iol.co.za
