The New Age tells the story of Rowyn Kenneth Statt, born and bred in Benoni, who is the only white face in a sea of black zama zamas (illegal miners) working in a disused mine shaft on the East Rand.  

In addition to the high risk to life and limb, through rock falls, mines collapsing and feuding, which are part and parcel of working as a zama zama, Statt faces the additional challenge of being a lone white man in a venture largely dominated by illegal African migrants.  “I have been doing this for five years now and I am able to make a living,” he said.  Illegal mining, at the best of times, is not a job for sissies and Statt is quite frank about how his skin colour adds to the stress of his “profession”.  He says the main challenge is the police, “who come here with guns to take away the gold that we have worked so hard for”.  He has also experienced people discriminating against him because of his skin colour “since I am the only white guy here so when there is lots of money I am always excluded and there are always fights.”  Despite this, Statt appears at ease in the informal settlement around the mine dumps of Benoni.

• Read this report by Dikeledi Ramabopa in full at The New Age

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