Mine closure in Matjhabeng in the Free State goldfields, South Africa: Implications for households

ABSTRACT

The Africa Mining Vision emphasizes the importance of mining for creating development. But it does not take into account the adverse consequences of mine closure. The literature on social aspects of mine closure is increasing but consists largely of descriptive case studies. We still do not know enough about how mine closure affects households. This paper compares longitudinal data (1998–2021) from household surveys in two low-income neighborhoods – Thabong, in Matjhabeng (the Free State Goldfields, around Welkom), and Freedom Square, in Mangaung (a non-mining area around Bloemfontein). The results for Thabong show continued deprivation, restricted mobility and social disruption because of mine decline, but also some gains because the gold mining sector performed well despite the Covid-19 lockdown. But despite the improvements, the results from Thabong still lag behind Freedom Square on most indicators. The household-level data supports other research findings and provides empirical evidence of the social effects of mine closure. © 2023 The Author(s)