South African government cuts off food, water to hundreds of illegal miners

In an effort to combat illegal mining activities, the South African government has taken a hard-line approach, cutting off supplies to illegal mines and refusing aid to trapped miners. According to Reuters, police have stopped providing food and water to the underground miners in an attempt to force them to return to the surface.

A report from the Minerals Council South Africa indicates that illegal miners can delve up to 4 kilometers underground in old mine shafts and remain there for months. However, with the lack of resupply, conditions underground are deteriorating. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe stated on Thursday that a decomposed body had been brought to the surface, and pathologists have arrived at the Stilfontein mine to investigate.

On Thursday afternoon, family members gathered near the mine site, expressing their concerns to AFP about their loved ones still trapped underground. "We are here for our brothers and sisters, my husband is also inside, he has been underground for eight months," Ntombozoxolo Kwati told AFP.

Reports vary regarding the number of miners 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 returned to the surface indicated there could be as many as 4,000 miners underground. Other police reports suggest the number of miners in the shafts is in the hundreds.

Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, stated on Wednesday that no assistance would be provided to the illegal miners. "We are not going to assist criminals. We want to smoke them out," she said. Mameetse Tlebere, head of the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa, criticized Ntshavheni's remarks in an interview with national media, warning that this approach "almost criminalizes all 4,000 people - many of whom are just desperate poor people." Tlebere stated that the illegal mining industry is often conducted in "terrible conditions" and controlled by organized crime syndicates.

According to police spokesperson Mathe, at least 1,172 illegal miners have voluntarily returned to the surface under pressure from the operation. Mathe also stated that local residents are organizing community-led rescue operations to retrieve the remaining miners but need to provide indemnity guarantees to the police first. "Community members are intervening and requesting to go in and rescue these illegal miners themselves. We are having them sign indemnities to release us from any liability. We have explained the dangers and consequences of doing so," she said.

Police have been increasing efforts to crack down on the activities of illegal miners, known locally as "zama zamas." According to the country’s Minerals Council, South Africa loses more than $1 billion annually due to illegal mining. A parliamentary briefing noted that the black market trade in gold also fuels violent turf wars as the country faces one of the highest murder rates in the world. Police and defense officials are scheduled to visit the site on Friday. A police statement said this move is intended to "reinforce government’s commitment to safely and legally bring this operation to an end."