Sport, arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, alongside ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba, has backed the minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni’s stance on the illegal miners underground in unused mine shafts in the North West.
There are reportedly over 4000 illegal miners trapped in unused mine shafts in Stilfontein after police blocked entry and exit points that community members use to deliver food and water to the zama zamas.
SUPPORT FOR NTSHAVHENI OVER STANCE ON ILLEGAL MINERS
On Wednesday, Ntshavheni emphasised that government would not assist the zama zamas and referred to them as criminals who need to be “persecuted,” not helped.
“You want us to send help to criminals? Honestly, we’re not sending help to criminals. We’re going to smoke them out; they will come out. We’re not sending help to criminals. Criminals are not to be helped; criminals are to be persecuted.
“We didn’t send them there, and they didn’t go down there for the benefit of good intentions of the republic. So, we can’t help them; those who want to help them must go and take the food down there. They will come out, and we’ll arrest them,” Ntshavheni said.
Fellow minister and Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader McKenzie supported Ntshavheni.
“Thank you minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, let there be smoke, lots of smoke,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
DO YOU AGREE WITH HERMAN MASHABA AND GAYTON MCKENZIE SENTIMENTS ABOUT ILLEGAL MINERS IN NORTH WEST?
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