Underground Zama Zamas demand mayonnaise and tomato sauce while turning Joburg into the City of sink holes

Johannesburg – A bizarre request for mayonnaise and tomato sauce has emerged from the depths of an illegal mining operation in Stilfontein, adding a surreal twist to the already serious problem of zama zamas undermining Johannesburg’s infrastructure, turning parts of the city into a landscape riddled with sinkholes.

On Monday, 9 December, a letter surfaced from underground, detailing a list of necessities and non-essential items requested by the illegal miners.

The letter reads: “Greetings, we are asking for bathing soap and Omo washing powder to wash our clothes. We are also asking for roll-on so that we can bathe. We are also asking for tomato sauce and mayonnaise. We have run out of meat. Please, give us tin fish and beef.”

The letter further requests rice and torches, adding that they also need medication for low blood pressure.

Community member Levy Pelusa reacted to the letter with a mixture of resignation and pragmatism, stating: "Those who don't want to resurface, it's their own baby. If they want to remain underground, they'll remain there. We were extending our helping hand to them. If they want to stay there, let them be. But those who want to resurface and want our assistance, we'll gladly help.”

Pelusa’s comments reflect a community weary of the ongoing illegal mining crisis, balancing compassion with a sense of helplessness. The festive season adds another layer to the situation, as community members grapple with their own responsibilities alongside the ongoing challenges posed by the zama zamas.

Meanwhile, the devastating consequences of illegal mining are starkly visible above ground. In Roodepoort, a sinkhole dramatically collapsed on a tar road outside Horn Trading scrapyard, a fortnight ago, narrowly missing Johan van Tonder and a woman who had just crossed the same spot.

Van Tonder recounts: "I crossed the road three times, and after the third time, a woman walked past me. The next moment, a hole collapsed in the asphalt, right where she and I had just walked."

Upon inspection, he discovered the telltale signs of zama zama activity: "When I looked down, I saw uneven ground, way down below, as well as a shovel and a fork. That’s when I realised: the zama zamas are digging here. And now they’ve caused the road to collapse."

This incident is far from isolated. Sinkholes caused by illegal mining are a rampant and escalating issue across Johannesburg, particularly around Main Reef Road in the south. At Horn Trading, located on the corner of Van Wyk and Mijn streets, mine dumps dominate the western view, and according to Van Tonder, numerous holes scar the landscape to the south, all attributed to the illegal miners’ activities. The sinkhole outside Horn Trading was immediately reported to the Johannesburg Metro, with the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) inspecting the site the following day.

The road remains closed, significantly impacting the scrapyard’s business, as manager Douglas Fourie explains: “We’ve lost easily 35% of our business because the road is closed. People don’t want to drive around the block… so they just drive down to another scrapyard… and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

Fourie further notes that the hole continues to grow, seemingly exacerbated by rainfall, and that the zama zamas appear to be actively mining beneath the scrapyard itself: "You can see the zama zamas are still busy underneath – every day it looks different there… Tunnels are running upwards (south) and also (west) towards the mine. And it looks like they are also mining towards the business’ side (east) – they may already be under our premises. But they now come at night when we’re not here."

The problem extends far beyond Roodepoort. A visit to several sinkholes reveals the widespread nature of the crisis. One side of Webber Street in Selby has been closed since 2021 due to multiple sinkholes, impacting businesses and diverting traffic to adjacent streets.

Casper Visser, owner of Office Boyz, details the costly consequences, stating: "The floor first started cracking, and it wasn’t long before we could see it was sinking… We had to rebuild not just the floor at our own cost, but also fill up the holes and pour concrete so the zamas couldn’t come here again. It was an expensive exercise, and we had to do it ourselves because the JRA has been telling us for years they don’t have the money.”

Visser’s insurance does not cover sinkhole damage, leaving him financially burdened and deeply concerned about the future.

He adds: "People lose their lives or their jobs, and infrastructure gets wrecked… I don’t have another R600 000 to pay if sinkholes start collapsing in my factory again. We are harmed because the government sits with folded hands. Everyone passes the buck. It’s nobody’s responsibility, so it becomes everyone’s responsibility.”

The sounds of banging and explosions emanating from beneath the ground are a common occurrence for businesses in the affected areas. At a nearby vehicle repair shop, an employee confirms hearing these noises, highlighting the ongoing activity beneath the streets.

The closure of Webber Street has also impacted businesses on the unaffected side, as they experience reduced visibility and traffic flow, leading to significant losses. Clint de Bruyn, manager of Commercial Auto Parts, expresses frustration with the lack of response from authorities, stating: “Nobody is solving the problem – not the ward councillor, the JRA or the city.”

The scale of the problem is immense. JRA spokesperson Bertha Peters-Scheepers reveals the staggering cost of repairs: "About 450m of Wemmer Pan Street… is cordoned off because there are a multitude of sinkholes… It’s going to cost around R50 million to repair, but we simply don’t have the money for it.”

She also points out that the zama zamas’ activities extend beyond gold mining, targeting infrastructure such as cables, as evidenced by a fire on the M1 highway in May.