SOUTH AFRICA: Illegal Mining Crackdown.

South Africa is deploying 3,300 military personnel to combat illegal mining, which is seen as a source of criminality and frustration by mining companies and local residents. The operation, authorized by President Cyril Ramaphosa, will run until April 2024 and cost the state almost Rand 500m (US$27m). Informal miners, known as zama zamas, mainly consist of foreigners who work in difficult conditions in clandestine pits. Illegal mining operations also impact active mines and have been associated with outbreaks of violence. This crackdown on illegal mining comes as illegal immigration and rampant crime are seen as key political issues ahead of the 2024 general elections. In a separate incident, two people have been arrested in connection with a burglary at President Ramaphosa's farmhouse in 2020, which almost led to his removal from office. An independent panel found that Ramaphosa "may have committed" serious violations and misconduct in his handling of the affair, but parliament voted against impeachment proceedings. The president denied any wrongdoing and was later absolved of breaching executive ethics by South Africa's corruption watchdog. [Extracted from the article]