This week we discuss how illicit heroin shipments discovered in East and Southern Africa have links to growing possible links to Afghan methamphetamine markets,  and the difficulties of tackling a surge in illegal gold mining amid deteriorating law-enforcement capacity, endemic corruption and community support for illegal miners in South Africa.

Presenter: Lindy Mtongana

Speakers

Ed Stoddard, freelance journalist

Jason Eligh, Senior Expert, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Kgothatso Nhlengetwa, Founding director of Imbogodo Mining Services

Producer: Alexandria Sahai-Williams

Additional Reading

ESA Risk Bulletin 12 

https://theconversation.com/why-it-doesnt-make-sense-that-all-informal-mining-is-deemed-illegal-57237

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/apr/09/you-often-get-sick-deadly-toll-illegal-gold-mining-south-africa-durban-deep

https://www.africanmining.co.za/2019/04/18/small-scale-mining-opportunities-and-challenges/

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2019/09/30/long-read-the-unknown-unknowns-of-afghanistans-new-wave-of-methamphetamine-production/