In South Africa, thousands of informal miners risk their lives daily in illegal coal mines, providing communities with a vital source of energy. The country is among the world’s top coal producers, with the fossil fuel generating approximately 80% of its electricity. In the eastern Mpumalanga province, these miners, like Cyprial, play a crucial role in the industry, despite the dangers they face.
Cyprial, who spoke under a pseudonym, described the perils of his work, saying, “You know when you’re getting in that the upper surface is a stone. Might it happen that it falls down, it can kill me. That’s what you must face when you get inside.” He and others like him have learned to cope with the fear, saying, “Take all the fears, shove it away. I don’t know how but … we try.”
The South African government refers to these miners as “illegal miners,” but they prefer the term “artisanal mining.” They argue that their work, although unauthorized, is essential to the local community, providing coal for cooking and heating. Jabulani Sibiya, chair of Ermelo’s artisanal miners’ union, explained, “This coal, we transport it to communities so those people can use it to cook and to warm themselves.” The electricity produced in Mpumalanga is often too expensive for many locals.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called these miners a “menace” to the country’s economy and security, and authorities are working to eradicate the activity. However, analysts estimate that there were over 40,000 illegal miners in South Africa in 2021, with most operating in abandoned gold shafts. In contrast, the formal coal sector employs over 100,000 people in direct and indirect jobs.
South Africa, ranked among the 12 largest greenhouse gas emitters globally, has committed to transitioning away from dirty-power generation. In 2021, the country signed a $8.5 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership deal with wealthy nations to move towards green energy. However, locals in Ermelo fear that this transition might leave them behind. Zethu Hlatshwayo, spokesperson for the National Association of Artisanal Miners, emphasized, “For us, ‘just transition’ means transitioning from large-scale, destructive extraction form of mining, into a sustainable, artisanal and small-scale mining sector.”
As the country moves forward with its energy transition, the fate of artisanal miners remains uncertain. Ermelo’s artisanal miners have applied for a collective mining permit, but the process is slow and costly. The men argue that mining will continue to exist, even after the phaseout from coal, and that it is essential to include sustainability and artisanal and small-scale miners from marginalized communities in the transition process. Hlatshwayo stressed, “It will not be a just transition if our people are left behind.”
