Deep inside abandoned shafts in South Africa’s coal belt, thousands of small-scale diggers toil without lights or safety gear, extracting fuel that powers homes in nearby communities.
These workers, often called “zama zamas,” risk cave-ins and toxic gases daily. One miner, using the name Cyprial for protection, said: “You know the roof could drop any moment and end everything. You bury that thought just to keep working.”
Informal Mining: Survival or Crime?
The government views them as unlawful operators harming the economy. The miners see themselves as community providers, selling cheap coal for cooking and heating where electricity bills are unaffordable.
Rough estimates:
- Formal coal industry employs over 100,000
- Informal diggers number around 40,000, many in old gold or coal pits
The Just Transition Dilemma
South Africa, a top global emitter, has an $8.5 billion deal with rich countries to move from coal to renewables. In places like Ermelo, locals worry the shift will leave them jobless again.
Zethu Hlatshwayo from the National Association of Artisanal Miners said: “A real just transition would support small-scale mining of minerals needed for solar panels and batteries, not shut us out.”
Push for Legal Status
Groups in Ermelo have applied for group permits to operate openly, but complain the fees and paperwork are out of reach.
They insist the green future must include them: “Leaving our communities behind won’t make the transition fair,” Hlatshwayo added.
