In challenging economic and geopolitical times, investors bet on gold for its ability to store value. Gold prices hit record highs last year, with some analysts forecasting the precious metal could reach $3,000 an ounce by the end of 2025. But the boom has also been linked to a surge in illegal gold mining.

The national crackdown against illegal mining began in late 2023, in part spurred by the rise of violent crime in communities adjacent to mines taken over by heavily armed gangs who set up camp alongside them. In 2022, a group of eight women were raped in the town of Krugersdorp allegedly by illegal miners, sparking widespread outrage.