Ntshavheni Highlights to Critics Danger Heavily Armed Zama Zamas Pose With Viral Clip: “To Refresh”

• Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni attempted to set the record straight on her illegal miners' stance
• Ntshavheni posted a clip showing heavily armed zama zamas after receiving backlash online for saying they'd be smoked out
• Her efforts to diffuse the situation drew somewhat of a mixed response, with some applauding Ntshavheni for her viewpoint

STILFONTEIN — Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni attempted to drown out the noise over her recent remarks with a glaring post.

Ntshavheni was heavily criticised for making controversial comments at a briefing in Cape Town on Wednesday, 13 November 2024.

Ntshavheni reminds SA of zamas zamas

While discussing the outcomes of the cabinet meeting held a week earlier, she stressed that no help would find criminals as about 4,000 starving zama zamas remain underground at the Stilfontein Gold Mine in Klerksdorp, North-West.

After receiving flack for saying the police would "smoke them out" instead of assisting in getting them out, Ntshavheni posted a video of heavily armed zama zamas below the surface to make a point about how dangerous they are.

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She captioned the material, which showed a group of five men dancing to music played by one of them with an accordion:

"Just to refresh our memories [of the people] refusing to resurface from Stilfontein shaft."

The 30-second clip showed the men armed to the teeth, each wielding two handguns, which they brandish for the camera while enjoying the music.

According to officials, a crackdown on illicit mining by a joint operational task team comprising the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the Bojanala Platinum District has seen the throngs refusing to resurface due to imminent arrest.

The effort, Operation Vala Umgodi, has seen law enforcement blocking off routes used to deliver food and water to the illegal miners underground.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe has expressed that there were no plans to send law enforcement into the disused mine to get to the illegal miners due to them being so heavily armed.

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Briefly News reported recently that between 18 October and 5 November, over 1,000 zama zamas had resurfaced from the mine due to thirst and hunger.

Locals online nod to Ntshavheni

After the online post, most users tended to agree with Nthavheni, noting the danger illegal miners posed to the country's national interests.

Briefly News looks at the commentary.

@MatJGeorge wrote:

"Minister, while you are normally useless, on this one, we applaud your efforts., Thank you."

@LeratorMm said:

"It’s disgusting and embarrassing that we have people who feel sorry for these criminals."

@Mabokisi added:

"[I] absolutely agree. South Africa should prioritise its national interests by addressing illegal mining and immigration with transparency and strong governance while fostering regional cooperation."

Decomposed illegal miner's body recovered

In related news, Briefly News reported that police recovered the decomposed body of an illegal miner at the Stilfontein mine on 14 November.

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Three illegal miners resurfaced alive on the same day, while police have opened an inquest into the only confirmed death so far.

Source: Briefly News