The African National Congress has produced a discussion document on minerals and energy policy which proposes that legal rights are given to informal miners, like Zamzam Shongwe. This form of mining is seen as fundamental to the developing other related enterprises in the surrounding areas.
A Small Mines Bureau would be established and its role would be to facilitate, co-ordinate and support this form of mining and assist in mobilising government funds for micro-scale mining enterprises. A system of issuing licences and paying taxes would be introduced.
The small-scale mining support system will also provide financial schemes, technical advice, exploration support, marketing research, technical, financial and managerial training, mineral processing support, organisational structures and monitoring of environmental, health and safety systems.
Small-scale operators would be encouraged to co-operate with the state to resolve the problem of being illegal miners. The environmental degradation associated with small and micro-scale mining would then be easier to monitor.
Last month, in the Eastern Transvaal, informal miners formed the Eyethu Mining Association. They are still in the process of being registered and they are planning on aligning themselves with the Reconstruction and Development Programme office in the Eastern Transvaal.