Mine closure, social disruption, and crime in South Africa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4704345 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Lochner Marais (0000-0002-0299-3435, Centre for Development Support University of the Free State Bloemfontein South Africa, corresponding author), Emeka Ndaguba (0000-0002-7447-5565, Centre for Development Support University of the Free State Bloemfontein South Africa), Elelwani Mmbadi (0000-0002-2855-0229, Centre for Development Support University of the Free State Bloemfontein South Africa), Jan Cloete (0000-0003-2362-5014, Centre for Development Support University of the Free State Bloemfontein South Africa), Molefi Lenka (0000-0002-4362-6172, Centre for Development Support University of the Free State Bloemfontein South Africa) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 188 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 383-400 |
| Publication date | 2022-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Geographical Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0016-7398 • E-ISSN: 1475-4959 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/geoj.12430 |
| OpenAlex | W4206748743 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 49 |
The international literature links mining booms with social disruption. The rapid economic and population growth that mining brings increases urban crime and social problems. But insufficient attention has been paid to the reverse situation: the social disruption that can accompany the closure of a mine. We compare crime statistics for four categories of small city, known in South Africa as "intermediate city municipalities," from 2009 to 2018. Contrary to the findings of international studies, we find that those where mining was in decline had some of the highest crime rates, particularly in the category of sexual offences, whereas those where mining was growing had the lowest. Our research shows that mine decline and closure can contribute to social disruption. We argue that South African government policy has exacerbated this problem in the context of mine decline and that several dependencies created by mining further contribute to the problem. We challenge the assumption that fast population growth and an increase in the male population are prerequisites for social disruption. Our paper suggests the need for modifications to social disruption theory
Boom · Closure (psychology · Context (archaeology · Criminology · Development economics · Economics · Geography · Government (linguistics · Political science · Population · Population growth · Sociology · Demography · Engineering · Hydropower, Displacement, Environmental Impact · Law · Mining and Resource Management · Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses
Leveraging principal component analysis of crime trends to drive innovation in industry, policy, and society
A scientometric analysis of mine closure research
The housing market, mine closure and urban management in Welkom in the Free State Goldfields, South Africa
Mine closure in Matjhabeng in the Free State goldfields, South Africa
The plight of mining cities in South Africa
Mine closure, women, and crime in Matjhabeng, South Africa
A critical review of the social aspects of mine closure
Juvenile Delinquency and Urban Areas (Phoenix Books)
The Impact of Mine Downscaling on the Free State Goldfields
Shale gas development and crime
Local Social Disruption and Western Energy Development
From coal not to ashes but to what? As Pontes, social memory and the concentration problem
Zama-Zama mining in the Durban Deep/Roodepoort area of Johannesburg, South Africa
Responses to mine downscaling
Mine decline and women
A fifth wave? The changing nature of boomtown research
Measuring the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in mining host communities
Economic Transitions in South Africa’s Secondary Cities
Safety and health before and after Marikana
Mine housing in the South African coalfields
The changing nature of mining towns
Long distance commuting
Evolutionary governance in mining
Mining towns and urban sprawl in South Africa
Land use tools for tempering boom and bust
Social disruption theory and crime in rural communities
Strategy for collectives and common goods
Reinvention paths and reinvention paradox
Anticipating and planning for mine closure in South Africa
After the downturn
Globalization, Frontier Masculinities and Violence
Reinterpreting Core and Periphery in Australia's Mineral and Energy Resources Boom
Open for Business but at What Cost? Housing issues in ‘boomtown’ Darwin
Boomtown's Youth
The emotional geography of a mine closure
Established-Outsider Relations and Fear of Crime in Mining Towns
Growth, Decline, Stability, and Disruption
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1.5 |
| Citation span | 2022 - 2025 (4) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |