Illegal mining | Lesufi wants army unleashed against zama zamas

JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng ANC chair Panyaza Lesufi is pleading with President Cyril Ramaphoa to unleash the army to fight zama zamas.

He addressed him directly at an oversight visit to the province by the National Working Committee.

Lesufi says provincial law enforcement simply does not have the firepower.

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"We are not even flinching on that one, these people are heavily armed and these people can't be accounted for," Lesufi said.

"They come from other countries, so we wanted to protect our territory and the only way to protect our territory is to get the necessary firepower this country can possess and ensure that it's toe to toe and let the last man stand."