South African police have vowed to keep arresting illegal miners hiding in an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, about 90 miles from Johannesburg, the BBC reports.
Hundreds, possibly thousands, of miners have been underground for a month, afraid to come out because of the risk of arrest or deportation for those without proper documents.
The police have been blocking food and water supplies to force the miners out, a strategy a government minister described as trying to “smoke them out.”
However, some people criticized this hard approach, and volunteers have been allowed to bring small amounts of food and water to the trapped miners.
BBC shared that conditions in the mine are dire, with reports of miners eating toothpaste and vinegar to survive. Volunteers even discovered a body in the mine last week.
On Saturday, a court ruled that the police cannot block the mine entrance and must allow anyone underground to come out. The ruling also stated that no non-emergency personnel can enter the shaft.
Attorney Yasmin Omar, who fought for the court order, told the BBC the decision was meant to provide immediate relief and save lives. She added, “These people underground are dying,” emphasizing the urgency for medical care.
Despite the court order, the South African Police Service (SAPS) made it clear they would continue arresting miners who come out.
According to the BBC, over 1,000 miners have already been arrested. The SAPS said those in good health will be detained, while those needing medical help will be hospitalized under police watch.
South Africa, a country rich in gold and platinum, has seen many mines close in recent years due to high costs and deeper deposits. This has left miners unemployed and fueled illegal mining, which costs the government millions annually.
The BBC highlighted that this dangerous underground work often leads to long stays below the surface, creating a small underground economy where miners trade for essentials like food and cigarettes.
Illegal mining is risky, with some miners working for armed criminal gangs. Police have reported that miners in Stilfontein include migrants from Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.
To tackle the issue, authorities have launched a nationwide crackdown on illegal mining activities.
The South African Human Rights Commission is now investigating whether the police’s actions at Stilfontein violated the miners’ right to life, the BBC added.
This case underscores the harsh realities of illegal mining and the desperate conditions faced by those involved.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czj71kj1jlmo