Police Minister warns Stilfontein residents not to send supplies to zama zamas
Mchunu's comments came as law enforcement battles to bring hundreds of illegal mine workers back tot he surface at an abandoned mine in the area.
Stilfontein gold mine shaft in the North West. Picture: Jacques Nelles/Eyewitness News
STILFONTEIN - Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has accused the Stilfontein community of fuelling the crisis of illegal mining in the North West.
Mchunu's comments came as law enforcement battles to bring hundreds of illegal mine workers back tot he surface at an abandoned mine in the area.
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Hundreds of zama zamas are reportedly refusing to resurface from the old Buffelsfontein Gold Mine out of fear that police will shut down the underground network of tunnels and arrest them.
On Friday, Mchunu led a government delegation to Stilfontein where he met with local authorities.
He called on the local community to avoid aiding and abetting criminal activity, by sending food and water supplies to the illegal miners.
"One of the things that is encouraging these people to stay underground is because you send water there, you send food there, there’s even alcohol. There must be order and there must be stability because disorder and instability is dangerous to all of us, including yourselves."