Bheki Cele Says Police Cannot Clamp Down on Illegal Mining Alone During Address at Stilfontein Crime Scene

• Police minister Bheki Cele has called on other government departments to help curb illegal mining
• The minister said that the police could not shoulder the burden alone while addressing residents at a Stilfontein mine shaft
• Cele said that the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Mineral Resources had roles to play in bringing down illegal mining

KLERKSDORP - Police Minister Bheki Cele said the police would enlist the help of the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Mineral Resouces and Energy to curb illegal mining.

The police minister announced this while addressing the media and residents during a site visit in Stilfontein, Klerksdorp, on Tuesday, 11 October.

Cele visited Stilfontein following the arrest of 20 suspected zama zamas during a raid on a mine shaft on Monday, 10 October.

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The minister said the police could not shoulder the burden of ending illegal mining alone. Cele added that the home affairs and the energy department had acritical roles in identifying suspected zama zama and rehabilitating abandoned mine shafts, News 24 reported.

Of the 20 suspects arrested in the Stilfontein raid, 15 were foreign nationals; the remaining five zama zamas were South African citizens.

Cele added that law enforcement would continue targeting kingpins in the organised crime value chain. The arrest in Stilfontain resulted in the seizure of 15 AK-47 rifles, TimesLIVE reported.

South Africans weigh in on Bheki Cele's comments

South Africans said they are tired of the police minister's excuses.

Below are some comments:

@AmbercommOne claimed:

"Mbeki is all over this zama zama business like the Terminator, but it took a gang assult to make him even notice the problem. Before that? dololo"

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Tshepiso Flowz asked:

"Invite the SANDF then, or are they only reserved for dealing with unarmed citizens as they did during lockdown?"

Makhosandile Mbulawa pointed out:

"Police work very hard to arrest, but our judges release the criminals. No justice system in the country,after all that, people will blame the police."

Ty Bothma added:

"What a disgrace that the Police cannot deal with the mining scourge alone. Does he want school kids to do it for him? You only hear excuses but little action from the police. Get a new minister with some vision."

Jonathan Newman commented:

"If only they had a government organisation that is in charge of law and order to assist them. Oh, wait."

Crime activist Ian Cameron calls out Cele and Sisulu for lying about safety in South Africa

In another story, Briefly News reported that Crime Activist Ian Cameran lambasted Police Minister Bheki Cele and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu for their claims that South Africa is safe for tourists.

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This follows the killing of a 67-year-old German tourist fatally shot in a botched hijacking near Numbi Gate earlier this week.

Sisulu guaranteed South Africa was a safe travel destination for tourists and claimed only three tourists had died in the country in 27 years.

Source: Briefly News