ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has criticised the government's intervention to rescue illegal miners in Stilfontein.
The government launched a rescue operation after a court order, retrieving more than 200 miners and recovering at least 78 bodies.
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Mashaba said he has no sympathy for the miners who lost their lives, citing their involvement in illegal activities.
“Personally, I have no sympathy whatsoever. I don't have sympathy for criminality,” he said.
“I find it very difficult to understand that South Africans have been focusing on criminal activities for the past month, saying that criminals must be assisted. This does not make sense. These miners went in there voluntarily. In fact, some of them are coming into our country illegally.”
He pointed out what he viewed as the government's double standards, highlighting the case of three deceased Vantage Goldfields Lily mine employees who were trapped and died in 2016 and whose bodies have yet to be retrieved.
Mashaba accused the government of protecting criminals.
“I find it strange that we are a country that when we adopted our constitution in 1996 aimed to protect criminals rather than law-abiding citizens. This is very unfortunate and it's something that some of us in politics would question.
“Are the constitution and human rights meant for criminality and not for law-abiding citizens?”
TimesLIVE
'I have no sympathy for criminality': Mashaba on Stilfontein deaths
Image: Veli Nhlapo
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has criticised the government's intervention to rescue illegal miners in Stilfontein.
The government launched a rescue operation after a court order, retrieving more than 200 miners and recovering at least 78 bodies.
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Mashaba said he has no sympathy for the miners who lost their lives, citing their involvement in illegal activities.
“Personally, I have no sympathy whatsoever. I don't have sympathy for criminality,” he said.
“I find it very difficult to understand that South Africans have been focusing on criminal activities for the past month, saying that criminals must be assisted. This does not make sense. These miners went in there voluntarily. In fact, some of them are coming into our country illegally.”
He pointed out what he viewed as the government's double standards, highlighting the case of three deceased Vantage Goldfields Lily mine employees who were trapped and died in 2016 and whose bodies have yet to be retrieved.
Mashaba accused the government of protecting criminals.
“I find it strange that we are a country that when we adopted our constitution in 1996 aimed to protect criminals rather than law-abiding citizens. This is very unfortunate and it's something that some of us in politics would question.
“Are the constitution and human rights meant for criminality and not for law-abiding citizens?”
TimesLIVE
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Timeline of the Stilfontein saga
‘I saw people starve to death around me’, says illegal miner
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