Zama Zamas Are Undermining Gauteng, Literally

As underground tunnels expand beneath Gauteng, entire highways, suburbs, and communities teeter on the edge of collapse, threatened by the growing footprint of illegal mining.

It’s no longer a matter of if, but when.

From crumbling bridges in Springs to highways buckling near Benoni, Gauteng’s infrastructure is slowly being eaten alive, not by time or weather, but by illegal miners known as zama zamas.

They burrow through the province’s fragile underbelly like termites, driven by the promise of leftover gold hidden in the deep veins of the Witwatersrand. But the cost of their search is catastrophic and growing by the day.

Highways Built on Hollow Ground

Johannesburg, and much of Ekurhuleni, sits atop a geologically unstable mix of dolomite rock and abandoned mine shafts. What once were carefully engineered support pillars left behind by licensed mining operations are now being destroyed by zama zamas blasting their way through old tunnels.

A study by the University of Pretoria has recorded more than 3,000 cases of ground collapse subsidence and sinkholes across Gauteng, directly linked to disturbed dolomitic land. Entire roads have begun to cave in. Bridges are eroding from the inside out.

“It’s not even a sinkhole in the traditional sense,” said private security operative Marius van der Merwe. “It’s a tunnel, right beneath the road surface completely hollowed out.”

The New Gold Rush Beneath Gauteng

In places like Snake Road, Rondebult Road, and the N12, the scars are visible. Beneath the surface, what used to be a mine is now a maze of unstable tunnels, strewn with broken equipment, old boots, half-eaten meals and sometimes, the miners themselves.

Some zama zamas live underground for days or even months at a time, eking out gold from crushed rocks using makeshift pandukas, electric gate motors reengineered into rock crushers. The ore is washed with water tainted by mercury and cyanide, which runs into the groundwater and back into rivers and dams.

A Threat Bigger Than Crime

The scale of damage goes far beyond localised danger.

Van der Merwe recalled chasing miners away from the foundations of the N17 highway bridge. “They were literally removing the rock holding the bridge up, because it had gold in it.”

This, he warned, is no longer a local or criminal issue. “It’s a national infrastructure threat.”

Entire communities have sprung up to serve zama zamas in places like Putfontein. Everything operates openly: makeshift brothels, spaza shops, fast food stalls even a crèche. “It’s all there,” Van der Merwe said. “While Rome burns.”

Tunnels Beneath the M2

Beneath downtown Johannesburg, near the M2 highway, one of the most dangerous networks yet is expanding silently. Tunnels stretch from mine dumps to the old Eloff Street extension, threatening the structural integrity of buildings and roadways above.

Van der Merwe said inspections are dangerous. Being followed underground or even facing armed threats isn’t unusual. “You might get an anti-aircraft gun pointed at you from a mine dump,” he said grimly.

What Happens Next?

Despite mounting evidence, law enforcement remains largely silent. Questions to SAPS about ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining went unanswered by the time of publication.

In the meantime, Gauteng’s surface is becoming more fragile. With every rock blasted, crushed, and washed, the land beneath millions of people continues to disappear one illegal tunnel at a time.

Want to help combat illegal mining in Gauteng? Report suspicious underground activity to your local authorities or community policing forum.

{Source: The Citizen}

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