Sport, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie and ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba have backed the Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni’s stance on the illegal miners who are currently underground in unused mine shafts in the North West.
There are reportedly hundreds of illegal miners underground in unused mine shafts in Stilfontein after police blocked entry and exit points that community members use to deliver food and water to the so-called zama zamas.
SUPPORT FOR NTSHAVHENI OVER STANCE ON ILLEGAL MINERS
On Wednesday, Ntshavheni said 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.
And now, fellow Cabinet minister and Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader McKenzie has expressed support for 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?
Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.
