Government Announces Tougher Crackdown on Illegal Mining Nationwide

South Africa's government announced tougher enforcement measures against illegal mining operations across the country, targeting the widespread zama-zama (illegal artisanal mining) networks that have plagued abandoned and active mines. The measures are expected to involve increased police and SANDF deployments to known hotspots, stricter penalties for those caught, and coordinated action between the DMRE, SAPS, and local authorities.