Whole sections of roads in Johannesburg have collapsed, and deep sinkholes have formed along Wemmer Pan Road due to rampant illegal mining activity across South Africa’s economic hub. According to residents and officials, round-the-clock underground blasting and excavation by irregular miners are severely destabilizing the city’s transport networks, power grids, homes, and commercial buildings.
Infrastructure Collapse and Power Risks in Johannesburg
The continuous underground operations have created severe structural hazards throughout the city. A 63-year-old businessman in Denver, near central Johannesburg, showed AFP a gaping hole roughly 100 metres from his factory entrance where large numbers of illegal miners emerge weekly. He pointed out cracks in his premises caused by underground blasting.
The city’s electricity network is facing severe threats from the activity. City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena stated that underground excavations have compromised ground stability, placing substations, transformers, pylons, and transmission towers at risk. Mangena added that infrastructure has already begun to sink in some areas as illegal mining expands beneath the surface.
Michael Sun, a member of the provincial legislature in Gauteng, noted that miners steal electricity cables, damage water pipes, and dig up roads. “Who gets to suffer? The residents get to suffer,” Sun said.
Did You Know? Emerging from an 1880s gold rush, Johannesburg is recognized as Africa’s wealthiest metropolis, and while conventional extraction persists in certain zones, the municipality currently deals with hundreds of disused pits along its primary gold-bearing reef.
Security Threats and Gang Competition
The influx of irregular miners has also brought violent crime linked to turf wars between competing gangs. Voneen Trompeter, a 45-year-old resident of Roodepoort, described the escalating danger. “At first it was the blasting and the tremors from underground, and we would feel our flat shake,” Trompeter told AFP. “Now there are shootouts in the area. It is scary.”
In March, head of state Cyril Ramaphosa sent military personnel into Gauteng province to reinforce law enforcement efforts targeting criminal activity and unauthorized extraction. Despite this, operations persist. In a mining village outside Carletonville, illegal miners have taken over an abandoned school, barring outsiders from approaching. Local councillor Moiketsi Ntilane, 44, stated that the area had become chaotic since the miners took over. “They are the authority,” Ntilane said. “Families live in fear. They are ruthless, gun-toting and happy to kill.”
Many of the workers, known locally as zama zamas—meaning “those who try” in Zulu—are impoverished men from neighboring countries who spend days underground. One 27-year-old father of three from Lesotho stated that he can earn up to R15,000 on a good day and over R100,000 a month.
Expert Insight: Mining expert David van Wyk estimates that there are more than 34,000 irregular miners in South Africa, and warns that conditions concerning structural harm are bound to deteriorate further.
Broader Regional Damage and Environmental Hazards
Illegal mining is not restricted to Johannesburg’s central transport and industrial corridors. Mining expert David van Wyk, who estimates there are more than 34,000 irregular miners across South Africa, explains that many abandoned shafts are filled with acidic water that directly contributes to sinkholes. Van Wyk cautions that physical deterioration of infrastructure will escalate, noting additionally that residents of informal settlements erected on mining waste repositories are falling sick while extra dwellings fracture and plunge into depressions.
In the North West province village of Bapong, located about 65 kilometres northeast of Johannesburg, the impact is similarly stark. Several homes stand dangerously close to massive pits excavated by miners seeking chrome deposits. Resident Sarah Rakgwanhla, 63, noted that regular police and military patrols now keep the zama zamas at bay, but the community must live with the physical scars. “The holes are dangerous because they have water, and our children pass by them every day on their way to school and to the shops,” Rakgwanhla said. “We need help to have these holes sealed.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the term “zama zama” mean?
Zama zama means “those who try” in Zulu, referring to irregular miners.
How are infrastructure and buildings affected by the mining?
Underground excavations and blasting compromise ground stability, sink roads, and place power networks—including substations, transformers, pylons, and transmission towers—at risk.
What government actions have been taken to address the issue?
During March, President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatched troops throughout Gauteng province to strengthen police initiatives directed at crime and unauthorized digging, whereas standard military and police details presently deter the zama zamas within locations such as Bapong.
What steps do you think local authorities should take first to protect residents living near unstable sinkholes and abandoned mining shafts?
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