Hundreds of illegal miners in an abandoned pit are refused assistance by the South African government

After the government of South Africa cut off essential supplies and failed to assist them in a dramatic attempt to crack down on the illicit mining business, it is thought that several hundred individuals are still trapped in an underground mine.

Police are trying to force the illegal miners to come to the surface by stopping their access to food and water.

The Minerals Commission of South Africa reported that illegal miners can spend months down in old mines and travel up to 4 kilometers underground. However, without supplies, the underground situation is thought to be getting worse.

Reports vary as to how many miners were in the abandoned gold mine in the North West province. North West police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabone told the Associated Press that three miners who had come to the surface indicated that up to 4,000 miners could be underground. Other police reports said the number in the mine was in the hundreds.

Family members gathered near the mining site on Thursday afternoon, telling Agence France-Presse they were worried about relatives who were still underground.

“We are here for our brothers and sisters, and my husband is here; he has been eight months underground,” Ntomboxolo Qwanti told the AFP.

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the Minister in the Presidency, declared on Wednesday that the illegal miners will not receive any assistance.
“We are not providing criminals with assistance. She declared, “We’re going to smoke them out.”

Mametlwe Sebei, the leader of the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa, denounced Ntshavheni’s remarks in an interview with state television, saying that the strategy “is almost criminalizing” the mine workers, “many of whom are just poor, desperate people.”
According to Sebei, the illicit sector is frequently run by organized crime syndicates and occurs in “horrific conditions.”

As a result of the pressure campaign, at least 1,172 illegal miners have come forward willingly, according to police spokesperson Mathe.

Mathe also said locals are organizing a community-led attempt to extract the remaining miners but would be required to indemnify the police first.

“Community members are stepping in and demanding to go and rescue these illegal miners themselves. We are making them sign indemnity forms as a way of exempting us. We have taken them through the dangers and consequences of doing so,” she said.

Police and defense officials are due to visit the scene on Friday. A police statement said the intention was to “reinforce the government’s commitment to bringing this operation to a safe and lawful conclusion.”