ANC MP Fasiha Hassan calls for communities to benefit first as illegal mining surges
Lawmaker urges President Ramaphosa to prioritise local beneficiation amid unrest in Ekurhuleni and Bekkersdal
Illegal mining activities are intensifying in parts of Gauteng, including the Gugulethu informal settlement in Ekurhuleni and Bekkersdal on the West Rand, prompting renewed calls for urgent intervention and inclusive economic reform.
In the first weeks of February, residents of the Gugulethu informal settlement near Springs took to the streets, demanding that government fast-track the issuance of permits to explore suspected gold remnants in their area.
Driven by hopes of discovering “lucrative” minerals, some community members have begun digging through privately owned cattle kraals in search of fortune.
However, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has not confirmed the presence of gold deposits in the area. Authorities have warned that such unregulated activities not only endanger lives but also worsen the illegal mining crisis already affecting economically strained communities.
Communities Must Be “First to Benefit”
Addressing Parliament during day two of the State of the Nation Address debate, ANC MP Fasiha Hassan called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to ensure that communities where mining takes place are prioritised in economic benefits.
Taking to the podium, Hassan stated that all mining activities must ensure communities are “the first to benefit, not the last to be remembered”.
She argued that South Africa must stop “exporting its future” and instead beneficiate its minerals locally to create jobs and restore dignity within communities.
“We must ensure that in communities where mining happens are the first to be remembered and not the last to be remembered. President Ramaphosa, you were correct in characterising mining as a sunrise industry. We possess what the world desperately needs, 8% of global platinum group metals, 70% of chrome, and 32% of manganese. Mining contributes 6% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employs 400,000 people,” she stated.
Hassan further emphasised that beneficiation is key to inclusive growth.
“When Nomsa understood that beneficiation is when countries stop exporting their future and start building dignity. Our resources must not be put into a system that generates wealth for other countries. That must be the foundation of our development of our economic model,” she added.
Government Warning Amid Escalating Tensions
Meanwhile, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy reiterated this week that illegal mining poses severe risks to both communities and the environment. The department warned that unlawful operations undermine the rule of law and present serious threats to public safety and ecological stability.
Despite repeated warnings and the deployment of law enforcement agencies to the affected areas on Wednesday, residents in Gugulethu vowed to resume digging as soon as the strong police presence leaves.
The situation highlights growing tension between economic desperation and regulatory enforcement. While authorities clamp down on illegal mining operations, communities argue that meaningful participation in the formal mining value chain through beneficiation and local development could offer a sustainable solution.
As illegal mining continues to surge in Gauteng hotspots, the focus now shifts to whether policy reform and local beneficiation could transform South Africa’s mineral wealth into inclusive economic growth.
