Reappraising illegal artisanal mining in South Africa.

Despite its contribution to the South African economy, the South African mining industry is plagued by illegal artisanal mining (IAM). Although artisanal mining was recognised as a means to alleviate poverty after 1994, current legislation criminalises such work. This article reviews the limited literature on IAM in South Africa to show that there is poor synergy between mining industry stakeholders. It recommends two theoretical perspectives from which to reappraise the underlying causes of IAM, concluding that an industry-tailored, theoretically informed intervention is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]