North West MEC for community safety Wessels Morweng said: “All the crime that is happening in this area, we are attributing it to the zama zamas.
“I’ve made this clear a long time ago that the murders, rape that take place in this area, it is these people. We have evidence to that effect and practical case studies of 15 people who were shot at a tavern, so it shows that at the pinnacle of the problem is these zama zamas. The police are on the ground doing their work, that is why the crime is reducing.”
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the illegal miners who have resurfaced “have confirmed what police have always been saying. That first, there is no-one trapped, and that there are 10 heavily armed Basotho nationals who are guarding them and making them dig for gold.”
“They claim the food and water that was taken down was all confiscated by these Basotho guards and none of them were allowed to eat or drink. They are instead forced to work for the food and water,” she said.
According to Morweng, there was a note on Friday sent to the surface saying there were 500 illegal miners underground and 300 of them were unwell.
“They are also requesting more food. Some of the people who resurfaced have indicated that they had been held against their will by other highly armed illegal miners underground,” Morweng said.
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