GOOD Statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General
04 August 2025
The GOOD Party is deeply concerned by the ongoing crisis of illegal mining in South Africa, and the state’s failure to address its root causes and criminal masterminds.
Last week, nearly 500 people were brought to the surface and arrested in Barberton, Mpumalanga as part of Operation Vala Umgodi. Most face charges related to immigration and trespassing, while a few are charged with possession of gold-bearing material. These arrests mirror the earlier humanitarian disaster in Stilfontein, where dozens of lives were lost and countless others put at risk underground.
We cannot continue with a reactive and misdirected approach that criminalises the desperate while kingpins remain untouched. What we are witnessing is a system that punishes poverty and desperation, while allowing the true profiteers of illegal mining to operate with impunity. Many of the arrested individuals are victims of socio-economic hardship, trapped by unemployment, lured under false pretences, or even trafficked into dangerous conditions.
The GOOD Party reiterates its call for:
- Focused law enforcement efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute the syndicates and kingpins running these operations;
- Stronger oversight by the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources to ensure mines are properly closed and rehabilitated, and that surrounding communities are not left in economic ruin;
- Sustainable development programmes in mining-dependent regions to provide alternative livelihoods and reduce vulnerability to exploitation;
- And a fair and lawful immigration system that encourages legal entry while addressing cross-border socio-economic dynamics.
We cannot police our way out of a crisis rooted in poverty, neglect, and corruption. The current approach is both unsustainable and unjust. Without systemic reform and accountability, illegal mining will remain a symptom of a much deeper governance failure.
Media enquiries: media@forgood.org.za