Every day they go to work, they have no idea whether they will return home alive. They are Zama Zamas - men who risk everything to go deep underground in South Africa’s dangerous disused gold mines to scratch a living.

Poverty forces them beneath the earth to search for gold. Some will be arrested for illegal mining. Some will die. In “We are Zama Zama”, BBC Africa Eye tells their stories.

The events in this film were captured by an independent filmmaker and acquired by the BBC. The film has been re-edited from a longer version.

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Africa Eye brings you original, investigative journalism revealing secrets and rooting out injustice in the world’s most complex and exciting continent. Nothing stays hidden forever.

You can check out all #BBCAfricaEye investigations here: https://bit.ly/bbcafricaeye

CREDITS:
A Rocam Productions, LLC film
Directed and Produced by Rosalind Morris
Director of Cinematography – Ebrahim Hajee
Edited by Pascal Ploetz Troemel
Consulting Producer – Bette Gordon
Associate Producers – Yvette Christiansë, Sue Roppel and David Roppel, Katherine Hill and Andrew Hill
Underground Cameras – Rogers ‘Bhekani’ Mumpande, Prosper ‘Pro’ Ncube, Darren ‘Jahman’ Munenge
Sound Recording – Musa Radebe
Sound Concept – Pascal Ploetz Troemel
Sound Design – Tim Korn
Foley Artist – Tommy Stang
Colourist – Jeff Sousa
Post-Production Supervision – Christina Wood
BBC Production Manager – Simon Frost
BBC Digital Producer – Courtney Bembridge
BBC Social Media Producer – Anusha Kumar
BBC Reversioning Producer – Anna Payton
BBC Executive Producer – Bilkisu Labaran
BBC Africa Eye Editor – Tom Watson

Music:

‘Sheared’
Performed by Julia Kent
Written by Julia Kent
Published by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Licensed courtesy The Leaf Label

‘Flag of No Country’
Performed by Julia Kent
Written by Julia Kent
Published by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Licensed courtesy of The Leaf Label

‘Empty States’
Performed by Julia Kent
Written by Julia Kent
Published by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Licensed courtesy of The Leaf Label

‘Wenu Se Goli’
Performed by Lathozi Mpahleni Manqin Madosini
Written by Lathozi Mpahleni Manqin Madosini
Published by Melt 2000 S.A.
Administered by Sheer Publishing

‘Imali’
Performed by Black Motion, featuring Nokwazi
Written by Sipho Msiza, Roy Mabogwane, Bongani Mahosana and Nokwazi Dlamini
Published by Spirit Motion, Bombjeez Publishing and Faith Music
Administered by Sheer Publishing
Licensed by permission of Spirit Motion

‘Modakali II’
Performed by Lathozi Mpahleni Manqin Madosini
Written by Lathozi Mpahleni Manqin Madosini
Published by Melt 2000 S.A.
Administered by Sheer Publishing
Licensed by permission of Melt 2000 S.A.

‘Phunyuka Bamphethe’
Performed by Mandoza
Written by Mduduzi Edmond Tshabalala and David Domingoes Campos
Published by Groove Machine and Ndozino Publishing
Administered by Sheer Publishing
Licensed by permission of Universal Music

‘Terrain’
Performed by Julia Kent
Written by Julia Kent [BMI]
Published by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing
Licensed by permission of The Leaf Label

‘Nkatanga’
Performed by Malatji
Written by Salaelo Selota and Candy Mokwena
Published by Live at the Shack Music Publishing
Licensed by permission of Soul Truth Music

‘Wild West’
Performed by Pro Kid
Written by Dumisani Mojalefe Tsotetsi/ Linda Mkhize
Published by Sheer Publishing, Gallo Music Publishers and Warner-Tamerlane Music Publishers
Licensed by permission of Gallo Records and Warner/Chappell Music

‘What’s Going On’
Performed by Oliver Mtukudzi
Written by Oliver Mtukudzi
Published by Tuku Promotions
Administered by Sheer Publishing
Licensed by permission of Gallo Records

‘Bogobe’
Performed by BLK JKS
Written by Themba Buthelezi, Johannes Makananise, Mpumelelo Mcata, Tshepang Ramoba
Used by permission of BLK JKS Music CC
Published by SONY/ATV
Licensed by permission of Secretly Canadian

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