Gold gangs have mines searching for solution
Evander plans to clamp down as illegal activity in shafts rockets
ILLEGAL mining has reached new heights at Evander’s Winkelhaak mine, owned by Pan African Resources, in Secunda, Mpumalanga.
Gangs are now mining in broad daylight, in full view of mine and security authorities.
“There is no sneaking in as it used to be. At least before, they used to crawl into the shafts at night,” said a guard from Coin Security, who did not want to be named, pointing to a group of men dressed like miners.
Evander mine general manager Band Malunga acknowledged that illegal mining and the security of workers had become a challenge. “But it is something that we intend to root out completely . . . these people are heavily armed and are a threat to the security of the workers.”
Malunga, a former manager at Impala Platinum, said some of the illegal miners were former employees of other mines in the area and were colluding with Evander employees.
“They know exactly where to find high-grade ore. They know their way around the shafts and are colluding with our employees. We have caught a couple of them in the shafts and they have confessed to internal assistance. We are busy with measures to beef up our security and take the necessary steps.”
The network of illegal mining started in Welkom after the ore there was depleted, and moved to Blyvoor and Carletonville, where mines had closed. Now illegal miners were moving via Springs and Barberton to Secunda, he said.
Malunga would not disclose the measures to be taken to strengthen security and employee safety in the shafts. However, these are likely include improving the clock system — moving from access cards to using thumbprints; updating ageing turnstiles; advising employees not to interfere with illegal miners underground; and working with security officials in the area.
Pan African Resources owns Barberton Mines, Evander Mines and Phoenix Platinum in Brits. During one Monday morning check conducted by the company, which employs about 2 400 miners, it was discovered that about 2 700 people were entering the shafts. It is believed that some workers allow the illegal miners to use their access tags. Sometimes employees are followed to their dormitories and attacked by illegal miners who steal their access cards.
One worker, who did not want to be named, said employees had been advised to walk in groups in the mining complex.
“The rate of muggings with a strong possibility of severe injuries is so high that all of us have to stay indoors. Going outside the hostels is very risky, particularly after 6pm,” he said.
Conservative estimates from the Institute for Security Studies in 2006 show that gold stolen between 1999 and 2004 was worth about R2-billion. Estimates by security experts are that it could now be between 5% and 10% of annual production; South African production in 2013 was just over R72-billion.
Zet Luzipho, chairman of the parliamentary portfolio committee on mineral resources, said last week that a South African solution to the scourge of illegal mining was needed.
“We can’t adapt models from other countries. The first thing from us, from the committee, was consideration of creating a small-scale mining model. This is to say, can we call the Ministry of Small Business to get entrepreneurs to drive this to support and develop the creation of small-scale miners?”
Luzipho said a forum to combat illegal mining was co-ordinated by the Department of Mineral Resources and involved other departments, including those of the security cluster.
“Police have indicated that they have no skills or knowledge of ascertaining that when an individual is carrying a metal, it is gold or something else. They are only able to arrest somebody for trespassing. Under the circumstances, they will only be able to keep suspects in custody for the legally accepted period of 48 hours,” Luzipho said.
It was not only gangs that were involved in gold theft and illegal mining, he said.
“There are people from the formal trade [registered gold miners] who could venture into illicit trade because the profits here are attractive. In the formal trade they could be subjected to certain regulations like tax, which shrinks their profits, and [they] see the illegal route as the only viable way.”