South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has voiced his full backing for Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni’s recent comments about the trapped illegal miners, sparking widespread debate across the country.
Ntshavheni caused a stir when she stated that the government would not intervene to rescue the miners—believed to number in the thousands—who became trapped underground. She described them as “criminals” and declared that the government would not risk the lives of security personnel to save them. Instead, she insisted that they would be “smoked out” and urged them to come to the surface voluntarily.
“We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out,” Ntshavheni remarked. “We didn’t send them there, and they didn’t go down there with good intentions. Those who want to help them can send food, but they will come out, and we will arrest them.”
McKenzie, responding to her remarks, expressed support for Ntshavheni’s tough stance on the issue. He posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Thank you Minister (Ntshavheni), let there be smoke, lots of smoke… Why don’t we get them some pizza with extra cheese and wine while they make up their minds about coming out? Guns and grenades are being hidden down there, these guys are just stalling. No one is trapped—they’re simply refusing to come up.”
Lindo Mnisi, another South African citizen, also endorsed the government’s position, emphasizing that criminality should not be tolerated. “Anyone who stands firm against illegal activities and foreign criminals will have our full support,” he wrote. “Thank you, Minister Ntshavheni, for taking a firm stand. We must stop tiptoeing around illegalities. Smoke them out!”
In contrast, Helen Zille, the federal chairperson of the Democratic Alliance, called for a more compassionate approach to the issue. Zille expressed concern for the lives involved, urging the government to handle the crisis with more empathy. Her comments on X highlighted the human impact of the situation, advocating for a solution that considers the lives at stake.
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