The recent rockfall at a disused mine shaft near Langlaagte in Johannesburg, which injured a group of zama zamas and killed some of their colleagues, has led Cosatu to call for government to decriminalise what is often described as illegal mining.
However, this will require a mind shift of all parties involved – government, mining companies, trade unions and the zama zamas themselves.
finweek editor Jana Marais discusses how this problem can be addressed.
finweek: Money Matters is a weekly programme aired every Friday 13:00 CAT on CNBC Africa (Channel 410). The programme focuses on trends, investment analysis and economic debates.