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An illegal mining site is discovered in the Sekhukhune District in Limpopo during Operation Vala Umgodi on 15 August 2025.
The Bench Marks Foundation says that illegal mining is an economic problem that police cannot address.
This as police intensify their Operation Val’ Umgodi, which is aimed at eradicating illegal mining in the country.
Critics say the operation is failing to address the underlying issue and identify the kingpins.
The foundation’s researcher, David van Wyk, says most of the illegal miners were retrenched without proper pension packages.
“Tens of thousands of workers are being retrenched every year, many of them are being retrenched without receiving their pensions. R42 billion is locked up in pension funds that have not reached mine workers.”
Van Wyk adds: “Apart from that, the moment a mine worker loses his job, they effectively become immigrants because when a mining company shuts down, very often the workers are not even informed. They lose their work permits and so on and they don’t have money to go home because they have not received their pensions and unemployment benefits and so they remain behind in informal settlements.”
