Cape Town – Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene has sparked controversy over his comments regarding undocumented foreign nationals who died while illegally mining in Stilfontein, North West.
Speaking during a panel discussion on Newzroom Afrika on Thursday night, Kunene expressed no sympathy, describing their actions as theft of South Africa’s resources and linking illegal mining to broader criminal behaviour, including gender-based violence.
“I have no sympathy for those who have died stealing the wealth of our country. They have committed a crime by entering this country illegally,” IOL quoted Kunene as saying.
He added: “I have absolutely no sympathy. They must die like rats underground there, all of them. They must burn in hell.”
NEWS: The Deputy President of the Patriotic Alliance (PA), Kenny Kunene, says he has no sympathy for those who died while stealing the country’s minerals.
Kunene added that these people must die like rats underground and burn in hell.
Spitting fire, Kunene also said in other…
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) January 16, 2025
Kunene called for severe measures, including treason charges and long prison sentences for those involved.
“After serving 40 or 50 years in prison, they must then be deported. Serious countries do not treat this matter as lightly as our government. These are serious criminals. I will not sympathise with them. In fact, I am hoping God kills all of them; they must burn underground and in hell.”
Kunene’s remarks came as rescuers racing to clear the disused gold shaft of illegal miners said on Thursday that a final sweep appeared to show nobody was left underground, after 78 bodies and more than 200 miners were lifted out this week.
Illegal miners, most of them migrants, had taken over the shaft that was once part of South Africa’s vast mining industry.
It spurred a months-long police crackdown to remove the miners, some of whom had been underground for weeks, if not months.
At least 246 people have resurfaced since a specialised machine installed on Monday sent a cage down the 2.6-kilometre (1.6-mile) shaft near Stilfontein, about 140 kilometres southwest of Johannesburg.
A rescue cage, specially designed and valued at R5 million, has been assembled to rescue hundreds of illegal miners trapped in an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, North West.
Safety assessments are ongoing to ensure a safe retrieval process.
Once approved, the cage will be… pic.twitter.com/cJ35rDQTcp
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) January 13, 2025
Take a look at some of the reactions to Kunene’s remarks on social media:
Rich coming from a criminal who was dealt with in terms of the law but yena wants other criminals to die.
— December Msutfu (@Matikweni74) January 16, 2025
Mr Mashaba said the same thing in the morning pic.twitter.com/Wh9hfd4YI9
— Oarabile Tshwagong (@ActionSA_2026) January 16, 2025
He is straight forward. He is saying things that many SAns wanna hear, I mean SAns are tired of these foreigners, when all we asking for is to be prioritized in our country. That’s all!
— LM Hasmanyze (@Hasman7455) January 16, 2025
Was he treated like a “rat” when he contravened the law?
Him and mabhantinti were treated as criminals; sent to correctional services for rehabilitation, and were treated as human beings. Not with contempt or disdain.
Rich coming from him.— Siphesihle Mnisi (@Oros_Mnisi) January 16, 2025
Follow African Insider on Facebook, X and Instagram
Picture: X/@The-TruthPanthe
For more African news, visit Africaninsider
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
