The Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) in North West has strongly condemned reports of security guards at Kopanong Gold Mine near Klerksdorp allegedly conducting naked strip searches on women miners. The organization has called for urgent investigations by the Department of Employment and Labor and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).
In an interview, Pastor Lesiba Kgwele, MRM North West interim committee convenor, described the incidents as “gross human rights violations” and “dehumanizing,” emphasizing that such practices should not persist in 2025. He highlighted concerns over racial and gender discrimination, noting that the affected miners were all Black women.
Pastor Kgwele criticized the mine’s use of outdated security methods, urging the adoption of modern technology like metal detectors instead of invasive searches. He confirmed that the MRM is collaborating with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) to address the issue and has called for legal action against those responsible.
The MRM has also appealed to the Department of Mineral Resources and the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) to intervene, demanding stricter enforcement of workers’ rights and dignity.
As public outrage grows, pressure mounts on Kopanong Gold Mine and authorities to end these practices and ensure accountability.