South Africa Says It Won’t Help Illegal Miners Inside Closed Mine

South Africa’s government said this week that they do not plan to assist as many as 4,000 illegal miners that are currently trapped inside a closed mine.

The coal miners are currently located inside a mine in the North West province of South Africa. They were previously denied supplies as part of the country’s efforts to combat illegal coal mining.

The Trapped Miners

The miners trapped in the Stilfontein mineshaft are reportedly facing shortages of food, water and other essentials after police blocked off the entrances used to deliver supplies underground.

The blockade is part of the police’s Vala Umgodi or Close the Hole operation, which is aimed at cutting off supplies to compel miners to surface, where they will face arrest.

Police previously stated that information from individuals involved in bringing three miners to the surface suggested that as many as 4,000 miners could still be underground.

However, on Thursday afternoon, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe suggested that the initial figure was likely overstated, estimating that the actual number of miners underground is closer to between 350 and 400.

“We feel that the numbers are being exaggerated. We have deployed maximum resources to this case including our intelligence operative who are on the ground who have engaged with all stakeholders,” Mathe said. “We have managed to estimate the numbers to be between 350 and 400.”

Officials Won’t Help Those Trapped

South Africa’s ministers of police and defense are set to visit the mine on Thursday to meet with officials and local community members, according to Mathe. Stilfontein is among the mines targeted by police since they ramped up operations in North West province on October 18.

It remains uncertain how long the current group of miners has been underground, as reports indicate they often remain below for months, relying on outside supplies of essentials like food and water.

“We have taken a decision that no police officer, no soldier or government official will go down to an abandoned mine. There is a high risk of loss of life,” Mathe said.

Mathe stated that authorities have information suggesting the miners may be heavily armed. Since launching operations against illegal mining last December, police have confiscated over 369 high-caliber firearms, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 5 million rand ($275,000) in cash and uncut diamonds valued at 32 million rand ($1.75 million).

Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters Wednesday that the government would not provide assistance to the illegal miners, citing their involvement in criminal activity.

“We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. Criminals are not to be helped. We didn’t send them there,” Ntshavheni said.

Illegal Mining in South Africa

Illegal mining continues to be widespread in South Africa’s old gold-mining regions, where miners enter abandoned shafts to search for any remaining deposits.

The illegal miners are frequently migrants from neighboring countries, and police report that these operations are typically run by larger syndicates that employ the miners.

Their activity in abandoned mines has led to tensions with nearby communities, who report that illegal miners are linked to crimes ranging from robbery to rape.

Illegal mining groups are often heavily armed, and clashes between rival factions can escalate into deadly confrontations.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.