Social disruption and place attachment: an analysis of the social consequences of resource extraction in non-metropolitan areas in South Africa

This study examines the social consequences of resource extraction in non-metropolitan regions of South Africa through the lenses of Social Disruption Theory and Place Attachment Theory. While mining contributes to local economic activity, it generates complex social outcomes, including rising crime, weakened cohesion, and dependence on mining-based livelihoods. The study adopts a quantitative design within a positivist paradigm, drawing on secondary data from the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS), South African Police Service (SAPS) crime records, and National Treasury mining employment data. Wave 5 (2017) NIDS data is used in the analysis. SAPS crime records and National Treasury mining employment data are panel data for the period 2014 to 2023. Forty-four non-metropolitan districts were classified into five mining regions, and descriptive statistics, logistic regression, Structural Equation Modelling, and lagged panel regression were used to assess patterns of social disruption and place attachment. The findings show that mining exerts stabilising and disruptive effects, depending on the regional context. Some very high mining regions experience elevated disruption, while others display comparatively low disruption, indicating a non-linear relationship between extraction intensity and social outcomes. The study also demonstrates that homeownership alone is not a strong predictor of place attachment, suggesting limitations in policy interventions such as the Revitalization of Distressed Mining Towns Programme, which emphasises property ownership. Instead, attachment is more strongly shaped by length of residence, preference to remain, and lived identity. Even long-term residents in very high mining regions were more likely to consider relocation, suggesting that prolonged disruption may outweigh historical bonds. Additionally, the crime–mining relationship was found to be non-linear: medium-intensity mining regions exhibited elevated violent crime, while very high mining regions showed lower violent but higher property crime levels. Overall, the study contributes to theory by challenging the assumption of linearity in Social Disruption Theory, demonstrating that the relationship between mining intensity and social disruption is non-linear and context-specific. It also advances Place Attachment Theory by showing that homeownership alone is not a sufficient indicator of attachment in mining regions; rather, attachment is more strongly shaped by length of residence, preference to stay, and lived identity. Finally, the study does not support the presumed linear relationship between mining employment (as a driver of attachment) and crime (as an expression of disruption), revealing a more complex and differentiated pattern of social response within resource-dependent communities.