South Africa bill proposes 30-year sentences for unlicensed mining, drawing criticism

South Africa's General (Mining) Laws Amendment Bill introduces penalties up to 30 years' imprisonment and R100-million fines for unlicensed mining, without distinguishing violent criminal syndicates from subsistence artisanal miners. Critics argue the blunt-force approach criminalizes survival activity and may exacerbate social tensions. The bill's passage and enforcement remain uncertain.