Mozambicans expelled from South Africa for stealing gold, electric cables

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Mozambicans expelled from South Africa for stealing gold, electric cables

12:10 CAT | 09 May 2017

Voa (File photo)

Mozambicans are losing their reputation for being good workers in South African mines because of theft of gold and electricity cables – the latter for their copper content.

In the Free State gold mining region, 300 kilometres west of Johannesburg, about 60 Mozambicans have been expelled already this year, Mozambican regional head of the miners’ commissions, Bernardo Filipe Novela, told VOA.

The theft of gold and electric cables for the extraction of copper occurs primarily in gold mines, but new production technologies and new labour legislation in South Africa are also generally affecting Mozambican employment in South African mines.

The mining companies are recruiting Mozambicans and other foreigners less and less, and those that are employed are gradually being replaced by machines or by local citizens.

In the 1960s and 70s, Mozambique had 100,000 workers in the South African mines, but today there are only about 30,000 left, mostly in the platinum mines. Even these last year were offering attractive voluntary redundancy packages.

Many Mozambicans left the mines, but some, still unemployed, now regret it.

Source: Voa Portugues