Zama zamas: Criminals or victims of desperation?

South Africa will frustrate you, tear your emotions in two and at the same time leave you heartbroken.

That’s why there are contradictory opinions on the zama zama illegal miners stuck underground in Stilfontein.

Many feel they should not be helped or brought to the surface – even though some are dying, either through hunger, or thirst.

Leading the anti-zama zama charge was Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who was asked during a media briefing whether the government will intervene to rescue the illegal miners. Ntshavheni laughed before responding: “You want us to send help to criminals? Honestly?

“We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. Criminals are not to be helped, criminals are to be persecuted.”

She added: “We didn’t send them there and they didn’t go down there for the good benefit or intentions of the republic, so we can’t help them. Those who want to help them, they must go and take the food down there. They will come out [and] we will arrest them.”

ALSO READ: Decomposed body of illegal miner brought to surface at Stilfontein mine [VIDEO]

Zama zamas are hated in many communities, being accused of committing crimes, including rape and robbery, and some are heavily armed and taunting the authorities in videos posted on social media.

And yet, there is a desperate human side to the story, too.

Community members in the area say those underground – said to number about 4 000 by the police, although there has been no independent verification of this – are dying and in need of help.

Locals have been supplying food and helping to rescue some of those underground, as well as recover bodies.

Adding more pathos to the story is the fact that some of the miners are children or teenagers.

Do these people deserve to be left to rot and die underneath us?

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