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Zille’s remarks are a direct response to statements made by minister Ntshavheni, who during a post-cabinet media briefing in Cape Town this week made it clear that the government would not help the Stilfontein miners.
“We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. We are not sending help to criminals. Criminals are not to be helped. Criminals are to be persecuted,” said Ntshavheni.
Since the launch of Operation Vala Umgodi in December 2023, the government has intensified efforts to combat illegal mining in various provinces, including the North West.
The operation, which seeks to curb illegal mining activities, has led to more than 13,000 arrests across South Africa, with millions of rand worth of uncut diamonds and cash seized by the police. However, the operation has also resulted in thousands of illegal miners living underground without food, water or medical assistance.
Despite reports indicating several fatalities among the miners, police have yet to confirm these deaths. They have, however, called on the illegal miners to resurface so they can receive medical care and other necessary assistance.
Authorities have promised that law enforcement will remain in place until all those underground are accounted for, with the intention to arrest them once they emerge.
The situation has sparked an ongoing debate about the balance between law enforcement and compassion, with calls for a more humane approach.