Gauteng’s bridges and roads are under threat of collapse as illegal mining continues to erode the province’s infrastructure.
This illegal mining specifically targets trace gold left over in the many abandoned mine systems originally dug by legitimate companies.
These abandoned mines undercut huge sections of Gauteng, adding further instability to the area’s inherently unstable dolomite rock.
Illegal miners, Zama zamas, use these existing tunnels to find whatever traces of leftover gold they can.
Unfortunately, this unsanctioned activity often results in the destruction of the leftover support pillars put in place before the tunnels were abandoned to ensure stability.
Without these supports, the old mining tunnels become a ticking time bomb for the surface and will eventually collapse.
A study from the University of Pretoria has documented over 3,000 cases of subsidence and sinkholes, while areas such as Springs and Brakpan on the East Rand have seen bridges and roads slowly collapsing.
For instance, the Rondebult Road sinkhole, the Snake Road sinkhole, and recently the N12 sinkhole.
Private security operative Marius van der Merwe has also said that roads are falling away, with unused parts of the Eloff Street extension in central Johannesburg having collapsed twice due to a lack of support.
“It’s not even a sinkhole in the traditional sense; it’s a tunnel right beneath the road surface that’s been hollowed out. And it’s happening in multiple places at the same time,” he said.
Zama zamas
A report by The Citizen revealed much of the inner workings of the illegal mining operations plaguing the province.
The old tunnels were filled with old mining equipment and leftovers – such as old shoes and overalls, as well as half-eaten meals.
Zama zamas also use pandukas, homemade crushing devices powered by electric gate motors, to crush rock extracted from the old tunnels.
Crushed debris from this activity is frequently washed away with available water sources.
This is concerning as the runoff usually contains poisonous chemicals such as mercury and cyanide, contaminating the local groundwater table.
In the long term, this contamination will pose a considerable health risk to local communities and wildlife.
Combating this issue is also problematic, as Zama zamas are highly protective of their activities and will respond with violence against anyone they believe will interfere.
The extent of the illegal mining has also led to entire communities emerging to service the needs of the local Zama zamas, such as on the Putfontein side of Benoni, close to the N12.
This community includes numerous different amenities, such as offering a creche and fast food, in full view of any passersby.
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