By McGeorge Mbare
South African Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has declared that the government will not assist the thousands of trapped illegal miners operating underground in Stilfontein, North West—a move made amid rising tensions over illegal mining activities. The statement comes as authorities ramp up efforts to address rampant illegal mining, which poses significant safety and health risks.
Speaking on the ongoing operation targeting illegal mining in the region, Minister Ntshavheni emphasized that the government will not provide any aid, as these miners did not go underground for the benefit of South Africa and should face arrest.
“We are not sending help to criminals; we are going to smoke them out, and they will come out. Criminals are not to be helped but to be persecuted. We didn’t send them there, and they didn’t go down there with good intentions for the Republic, so we will not help them. Those who want to assist them can go and take food down; they will come out, and we will arrest them,” Minister Ntshavheni stated.
The illegal miners refer to themselves as “Zama Zama,” meaning “take a chance” in Zulu, and they typically operate in abandoned mines.
Meanwhile, the South African government took to its official X account to confirm the situation on the ground in Stilfontein and outline efforts to secure the area.
“We can confirm that a total of 1,173 illegal miners have resurfaced, with five emerging yesterday and two more this morning. We also have a decomposed body that was brought up this afternoon, and the circumstances surrounding the death of this illegal miner are under investigation,” stated SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
Illegal mining remains a common issue in South Africa’s gold mining areas, where miners often enter closed shafts in search of any remaining deposits. Many of these illegal miners are from neighboring countries.