The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) is calling for urgent state intervention to protect communities affected by illegal mining in Limpopo and the North West, including the deployment of dedicated security forces and the restoration of land damaged by illegal extraction.
ANCYL secretary-general Tsakani Shiviti said the state needed to work with traditional authorities and communities to dismantle illegal mining operations and hold those responsible accountable.
The youth league said South Africa loses more than R60 billion a year to illegal mining syndicates, while communities face violence, intimidation and damage to land and livelihoods.
ANCYL calls for action in affected communities
The ANCYL said ancestral land under traditional leadership in Limpopo and the North West was being targeted by armed illegal mining operations.
It called for the state to support traditional authorities, restore land damaged by illegal chrome mining and ensure that armed syndicates and what it described as their corporate backers pay reparations to affected families.
The youth league said government institutions should work alongside the Bapedi Royal House and local community leaders to protect residents and shut down illegal extraction.
The ANCYL said illegal mining in Sekhukhune had become a serious threat to community safety and livelihoods.
“We strongly condemn law enforcement’s complacency.”
The youth league called on the Police Minister to deploy dedicated security forces to the affected villages.
It also said the country’s mineral resources should benefit communities and be used to support public infrastructure.
“Platinum, chrome, and gold belong to the people of South Africa, to build schools, hospitals, and roads.”
The ANCYL said those operating illegally and using violence should face prosecution.
More than 600 residents displaced
The youth league said more than 600 residents from more than 400 working-class families, mostly women and children, had been forced from their homes in early 2026 because of armed violence and intimidation by zama zama groups.
It said the situation in Atok, under the Bapedi traditional authority, was particularly serious, with agricultural land between Mokopane and Polokwane, including Kuschke, Ysterberg and Eerstegoud, affected by nightly gunfire.
The ANCYL also raised concerns about Bapong village near Brits, where it said illegal miners had dug open pits next to homes while extracting chrome.
Recent reporting has also highlighted open pits and safety concerns in the Bapedi Kingdom area, with the Bapedi Royal House obtaining a court order giving it powers to stop illegal mining activities and rehabilitate affected land.
Emergency summit planned
The ANCYL said it would bring together affected traditional leaders and community representatives for an emergency summit with the state.
It called on the Ministers of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Police and Defence to work together to address the problem.
The youth league said legislative measures, including the proposed General Mining Laws Amendment Bill, were not enough without enforcement on the ground.
It said proposed penalties, including sentences of up to 30 years and fines of R100 million, needed to be backed by visible state action.
“Beyond legislative reform like the General Mining Laws Amendment Bill, we must address the human tragedy unfolding on the ground.”
The ANCYL said its immediate priority was to end illegal mining operations while working alongside community structures and state forces.
Shiviti said the youth league’s position was aligned with resolutions adopted at its 27th National Congress, including the call for South Africa’s natural resources to serve its people and contribute to safer communities.
hope.ntanzi.iol.co.za
IOL Politics
Get your news on the go. Download the latest IOL App for Android and IOS now
Hope Ntanzi
iol.co.za
