The government is seriously considering issuing licenses to small-scale miners as part of efforts to curb escalating illegal mining in the North West. On Monday, a high-level delegation led by North West Premier Lazarus Mogotsi and Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia visited Bapong Ba Mogale, one of the areas worst affected, where residents say they are living in fear.
They were joined by National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, North West Community Safety MEC Wessels Morweng, and Economic Development MEC Oageng Molapisi. The delegation held lengthy discussions with the local traditional authority over the ongoing crisis.
Police have arrested more than 20 suspects in recent weeks and seized several pieces of equipment used in illegal chrome mining. Standing beside one of the abandoned sites, Premier Mogotsi condemned the activities.
“What you see here is criminality at best. We support artisanal mining, but it must be done properly and within the law. What is happening here is a land grab, an environmental hazard, and completely unacceptable,” he said, as illegal miners reportedly fled the site, leaving behind heavy machinery.
Cachalia confirmed that police continue to confiscate abandoned equipment, but warned that the process is costly. He emphasized that the Ministry’s position remains firm.
“This is a crime, and we treat it as such. Police will continue to arrest those involved. I’ll leave the economic development considerations to the Premier and his MEC. Our job is to enforce the law,” he said.
The Bapong Ba Mogale Traditional Authority said it does not oppose possible licensing, but insists that the current crisis must first be brought under control. Spokesperson Vladimir Mogale said most of the land being mined belongs to the tribal authority and has been unlawfully invaded. He added that illegal mining syndicates have even been buying land illegally from residents who were allocated stands by the authority and are not permitted to sell them.
“This is one of the areas where they operate. They may not be here now, but they often return at night. It’s right opposite a legitimate mine,” Mogale explained. “We are not against people mining, but what we are dealing with here is pure criminality. There are constant gunshots and residents do not feel safe,” he added, referring to frequent clashes between rival illegal mining groups.
Masemola said that once authorities fully grasped the scale of the problem, elite police units including the National Intervention Unit, Tactical Response Team and the Hawks were deployed to dismantle the syndicates.