by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – SOUTH African opposition leader has called for foreign nationals involved in illegal mining to be sentenced to death.
This follows a foreign national (from Lesotho), who is alleged to be the mastermind of illegal mining in the country has fled from the South African Police Service (SAPS) custody.
Respectively, these incidents highlight the increasing anti-foreigner sentiment on the escalating problem as well as the corruption within the South African police force.
The little known opposition Patriotic Alliance (PA), which is part of the coalition government, wants capital punishment imposed on illegal foreign miners.
It is the latest in its stance against illegal immigration.
South Africa is facing an illegal mining crisis, as has resurfaced in the town of Stilfontein in the Northwest province, where over 100 miners are reported to have died underground, and scores more are still under the surface to evade arrest.
Government is accused of cutting food supplies to the individuals as a tactic to force them to emerge to the surface and arrest them.
This week, Kenny Kunene, the Deputy President of the PA, one of the smaller parties in the coalition government, accused the miners, most of them foreign nationals, of treason and called for the death sentence to be imposed on them.
PA’s stance is for mass deportations.
“These illegal foreigners, who are mining our gold underground illegally……..when they come out from the underground like rats, they go and rape young South Africans (women),” Kunene alleged.
He added, “Our position is very clear… Illegal foreigners that steal the wealth of this country will be hanged… death penalty by injection or hanging. We choose to hang them unapologetically when we are in power.”
This was in response to the reports the radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was planning to take Kunene to the Human Rights Commission over his sentiments.
Kunene is formerly of the EFF.
EFF and PA differ in migration, with EFF campaigning for open borders and PA advocating for mass deportation.
Meanwhile, in a strange twist to the illegal mining saga, the alleged kingpin, named as James Neo Tshoaeli, from neighbouring Lesotho escaped from the police custody before facing the wrath of law.
He resurfaced from a shaft in the Stilfontein last week, but thanks to corruption prevalent in the African continent’s largest economy where police and prison officials allegedly aided the suspected kingpin to escape.
Infamously known as ‘Tiger’, Tshoaeli was never booked into stations where some alleged illegal miners are being kept.
“Tiger is also not admitted at a local hospital for further medical care,” said police spokeswoman, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
Mathe has denounced this as “an embarrassment” to the Vala Umgodi operation that has been running from December 2023.
Vala Umgodi is Zulu loosely translated to “close the (illegal) mines.”
The Democratic Alliance (DA), the largest opposition party in the government of national unity (GNU), is also enraged at the escape of the alleged kingpin.
“This brazen escape illustrates the pervasive influence of criminal syndicates and highlights how they operate with impunity, often aided by corruption and compromised officials,” said Ian Cameron, DA spokesperson on Police.
– CAJ News