Security forces raided mining sites in Randfontein, about 40 kilometres west of Johannesburg, forcing suspected illegal miners to flee.
Police and soldiers recovered equipment used for mining, including generators and drilling machines. They also dismantled makeshift camps where miners had been living, leaving behind food supplies, utensils and clothing.
Illegal mining is common around Johannesburg, where thousands of abandoned mine shafts remain. Informal miners, known locally as “zama zamas,” often enter these shafts in search of leftover gold and other minerals.
Authorities estimate that about 30,000 illegal miners are operating across the country, using some of South Africa’s roughly 6,000 abandoned mines.
Officials say the activity is linked to criminal syndicates and costs the country more than four billion dollars in lost gold each year.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the deployment of troops will support police operations and help target the criminal networks behind illegal mining.
