Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. South Africa's Illegal Miners Risk Everything for Gold Franco Puglisi JOHANNESBURG - Illegal mining in South Africa is among'¯the most lucrative'¯on the continent, pushing'¯miners'¯to'¯risk health and safety in mostly abandoned shafts.'¯But the chance to strike it rich drives'¯the miners, who are often armed to defend their illegal'¯claims. Poverty and desperation are'¯pushing'¯some'¯South Africans'¯like Joseph, who'¯only gave'¯his first name,'¯to'¯risk their lives'¯mining'¯illegally'¯in the hope'¯of finding'¯gold. Joseph is not mining underground for fear of being trapped or killed in the shafts, although conditions on the surface are just as dangerous. He saidthey are working under dangerous environments, where there's no safety and their health is at risk because they inhale dust and chemicals while digging and processing.'¯'¯It's very tough, said Joseph, who has a family at home to look after.'¯'¯This is hisonly source of survival, he said, they work from morning to sunset, and for them to produce a gram of gold it sometimes takes a day or two. Known'¯as Zama'¯Zama, Zulu for "to try,"'¯some of them'¯once worked in the'¯lawful'¯mining industry. James'¯Wellsted'¯is with'¯South Africa's largest gold producer'¯-- Sibanye Stillwater. "You know the mining sector over many years has shrunk quite a lot in South Africa as well, which is meant there are a lot of ex-miners, are now don't have jobs, and therefore some of them resort to illegal mining.'¯And it is a very big challenge for the mining industry and the country as a whole," he said. The illegal miners'¯hire their own security guards to'¯alert them'¯to police raids'¯and'¯defend against'¯rival'¯miners. Security guard'¯Celemba, who also gave only'¯a first'¯name,'¯ said, just like the miners, he has few options'¯for'¯taking'¯care of his family. He said each'¯time'¯anyone goes down the shaft that individual has to pay something.'¯'¯And when the miner gets out, said Celemba, he also gives us some of the material.'¯'¯We are working shifts, he said, each team works for two nights a week. But Wellsted said the'¯Zama'¯Zamas'¯do not only risk their own safety. "They're armed often, so there is a threat to our employees,'¯if they'¯(are)'¯running into these illegal miners underground, and the risk that is posed to them.'¯'¯Obviously,'¯a corruption of employees and fraud that goes on associated'¯with this illegal mining, and then obviously you know, they are stealing resources that belong to us.'¯We have the right to mine," he said. To'¯end'¯the problems'¯of'¯unlawful'¯mining, Wellsted'¯said'¯authorities'¯need to create'¯more'¯job'¯options'¯for the miners. Meanwhile,'¯despite days of finding nothing,'¯the miners'¯keep digging. Living up to their name,'¯for'¯the Zama'¯Zamas'¯there is no'¯other choice'¯but to try. .