Govt vows 'crackdown' on illegal NW mining syndicate
The government has vowed not to back down on its campaign against a group of illegal miners in the North West.
A standoff between police and the scores of illegal miners at an abandoned gold mine in Stillfontein continued on Monday.
The police's strategy of blocking food access routes to illegal miners has come under fire, with many calling them inhumane.
At least one miner has died, and hundreds more arrested.
The total number of miners who remain underground is not yet verified.
The government said it is continuing with its rescue efforts but, for now, it will not be sending rescuers down the shaft.
North West Community Safety MEC Wessels Morweng has vowed to crack down on the illegal miners syndicate.
"No one is going to be sent down there. But we have a plan, but we don't want to get to finer details of the plan. Remember, we are rescuing hardcore criminals.
"We are rescuing people that have committed serious crimes before. It's not like people they don't know that we are dealing with zama zamas.
"People that have raped and murdered people before. So we are rescuing criminals here, so we are very careful and tactical also how we are going about this issue," he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy National Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikili said they will be supplying ARV medication to the illegal miners with chronic conditions.
This comes after a court order directed police to ensure that the miners get the medication.
"The sending of the ARVs will recall that we have interim court order that was issued on Saturday that requested that we need to give the necessary medication that will ensure the safety of life.
"And if that ARVs is one of the requests that has been done, we have indicated that it will be done in a very coordinated manner," she said
Mosikili said they will also allow food to be taken to the miners underground.
"The food that is going down cannot be the food that you will have to prepare underground, it is what we will give those that require strength to consume so that they are able to walk the distance,
"We will also have to look at what will be these necessities, you cannot send food that needs to be prepared when we are having people that are weak. So instant porridge, water and energy drink will be as of now," she added.
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