Gangs Stealing Cables Miles Underground Torment South African Platinum Mines
Thieves are targeting South Africa’s deep and aging platinum mines to steal expensive copper from cables, disrupting operations
About 10 tons of copper cable recovered after illegal miners exited from underground tunnels in South Africa.
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South African miners are battling a growing threat miles underground in the world’s deepest platinum shafts: Gangs stealing copper cables and disrupting operations.
Enticed by high copper prices, thieves are sneaking in, descending deep underground and setting up camp among vast networks of tunnels to strip metal from power cables. The country’s platinum giants are struggling to contain the syndicates of trespassers known as “zama zamas” — a Zulu name that means “take a chance.”