“The economy of Botswana is based on minerals.”
Orelebilie Pangie Molebatsi, of the Botswana Police Service, was not exaggerating. Nearly 25 per cent of Botswana’s economy depends on mining.
Nor is the country an outlier in Southern Africa. About half of the world’s vanadium, platinum and diamonds are sourced from the region, according to the Southern African Development Council (SADC), along with 36 per cent of gold and 20 per cent of cobalt.
“A lot of these countries’ economies are dependent on income generated from these minerals,” noted Coleen Yisa, Senior Public Prosecutor in the Office of the Prosecutor General of Namibia.
But the large role of the mining sector in the Southern African economy means that these countries are also vulnerable to minerals crime.
Crimes can include illegal mining and trafficking of minerals, deforestation, land degradation, pollution, corruption, money laundering, tax evasion and more.
“There may be some players in the industry who are inclined to cut corners,” Yisa acknowledged.
And the impact of these crimes is not contained to the mining site. “Mineral crimes have a devastating effect on public health, livelihoods, the environment and the rule of law,” she continued.
The supply chains of these minerals are incredibly complex and non-transparent, making them vulnerable to organized crime and corruption.
According to UNODC’s Global Analysis on Crimes that Affect the Environment, the growing demand for minerals only amplifies these risks.
In parts of Africa, the study notes, some organized crime groups use mining profits to fund armed activity, strengthen territorial control and fuel conflict.
Moreover, organized crime groups – as well as corporations and individuals involved in these crimes – use fraud, corruption and money laundering to enable their crimes and bring illegally-sourced minerals into licit global markets.
“The number one issue we have in South Africa is corruption – especially in the mining industry,” said Shandukani Maureen Ndou, a Diamond and Precious Metals Regulator in South Africa.
Some actors may exploit legal loopholes and weak regulatory oversight to conceal the origin of minerals and metals. Others may bribe officials to obtain mining concessions or avoid legal consequences for violations, or forge permits and other documentation.
With the support of Japan, UNODC is working with SADC to better understand and respond to the risks posed by crimes in the mining sector.
UNODC launched an operational mapping exercise to assess crime threats in the mining sector across the region. Preliminary findings show a rising trend where skilled African workers are leaving formal mining companies to join informal, unauthorized mining operations backed by foreign investors. Organized crime groups are becoming increasingly involved, with networks at the national, regional and international level.
Once complete, the exercise will help inform governments about emerging threats and to design solutions, like additional trainings, enforcement operations or new regulations.
Additionally, a new diagnostic tool will help countries understand vulnerabilities across supply chains, identifying red flags, driving policy reform and guiding targeted support.
UNODC is also supporting SADC to finalize a review of its 1997 Protocol on Mining to include provisions that would improve national and regional responses to organized crime activities in the mining sector.
“If we [SADC] work together, maybe we will be able to fight this illegal mining and make sure that there is no more smuggling of these metals from one country to another,” noted Ndou.
The project “A Rule of Law Strategy to Address Security Risks and Promote Responsible Mineral Supply Chains in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), with a Special Focus on Critical Materials for the Green Energy Transition” is generously funded by the Government of Japan.
Learn more about illegal mining here.
