Lesotho Admits Its Ailing Economy Contributes to Illegal Mining in SA Following Death of 31 Basotho Zama Zamas

• The Lesotho government has admitted that the country's ailing economy is contributing to illegal mining in South Africa
• 31 illegal Basotho miners were killed in a methane explosion in the shaft of an abandoned mine in Welkom, Free State
• Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe accused the Lesotho government of economic sabotage

WELKOM - The death of 31 Bashoto illegal miners at an abandoned Welkom mine has caused some diplomatic tensions between South Africa and Lesotho.

The incident led to Lesotho's Foreign Affairs Minister Lejone Mpotjoane conceding that the state of the country's economy is contributing to widespread illegal mining in South Africa.

Mpatjoane said that the Basotho government was aware of some of their citizens' exploits in SA but wholeheartedly indicated that the government doesn't condone illegal activity, EWN reported.

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Gwede Mantashe accuses Lesotho, government of economic sabotage

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe did not view illegal mining and the incident involving the 31 zama zamas favourably.

Mantashe accused the Lesotho government of economic sabotage, describing the incident as soldiers sent to attack the South African economy and dying in combat.

The illegal miners were killed after a shaft in the abandoned mine filled with methane, causing a deadly explosion.

The energy minister took exception to the fact that the survivors allegedly fled to Lesotho to report what happened instead of informing South African authorities, IOL reported.

Lesotho pleads with SA govt to retrieve 31 illegal miners’ bodies trapped in Welkom mine after an explosion

Earlier, Briefly News reported SA's Mineral Resources and Energy Department made the bombshell revelation that 31 illegal miners believed to be Lesotho citizens were killed in an explosion at an abandoned mine in the Free State.

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Now the spokesperson to the Lesotho Prime Minister, Thapelo Mabote, is pleading with the South African government to help retrieve the bodies that have been trapped since the explosion.

Speaking on Newzroom Afrika, Mabote said that while the Lesotho government does not condone illegal mining, they would like to repatriate the bodies of the deceased and return them to their families.

Source: Briefly News