Farming communities in the North West Province are raising alarms over the growing impact of illegal mining operations, calling for stronger enforcement measures to protect both agriculture and the environment.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in the State of the Nation Address that the army would be deployed to mining hotspots to support police efforts in combating illegal activities.
A local farmer, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns, described the scale and organisation of the operations, noting that it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between legitimate and illicit mining.
“It’s a regular thing to hear gunshots at night. Trucks hijacked with chrome are dumped in our area and left until it’s safe for them to collect again. These are not random individuals; they know what they are doing, where to take it, and where to sell it,” the farmer said.
Agri North West spokesperson Naude Pienaar warned that the unchecked mining could have lasting consequences for the province’s agriculture.
“We are very concerned about the illegal and uncontrolled mining taking place in our province, including the large number of non-compliant chrome wash plants. These activities destroy natural vegetation, pollute and misuse scarce water resources, and the heavy trucks damage roads. The fallout from these operations settles on trees and crops, killing plants and rendering the spraying of herbicides and nutrients ineffective,” Pienaar said.
Farmers are urging authorities to step up monitoring and enforcement to prevent further environmental degradation and protect local livelihoods.