South Africa has declared it will not assist approximately 4,000 illegal miners trapped in an abandoned mine in Stilfontein, North West province, as part of a larger crackdown on unregulated mining.
Authorities have sealed off the entrances, blocking essential supplies in a firm effort to draw miners out and bring them to justice. The decision underscores the government’s “Close the Hole” operation, an initiative aimed at cutting illegal mining at its roots, despite the grave risks it poses to those underground.
This enforcement has left many miners in dire conditions, reportedly lacking food, water, and essential supplies. In recent weeks, more than 1,000 miners have emerged from surrounding shafts across North West province, many weakened and visibly malnourished.
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According to local reports, nearly 20 miners surfaced from Stilfontein this week alone, only to find themselves met by police patrols waiting to arrest anyone attempting to escape. Police have strategically cordoned off exits around the mine, with officials signaling that any remaining miners will eventually have to make their way to the surface or face peril underground.
Government spokesperson Khumbudzo Ntshavheni reinforced the government’s stance on Wednesday, stressing that aid would not be extended to those engaged in illegal activities. “We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out. Criminals are not to be helped; they are to be prosecuted,” Ntshavheni remarked. “We didn’t send them there,” she added, highlighting a zero-tolerance policy that critics argue ignores the humanitarian crisis unfolding underground.
Illegal mining, especially in abandoned gold mines, has long been a pervasive issue in South Africa, particularly in towns like Stilfontein. Known locally as “zama zamas,” these miners are often foreigners, drawn by the hope of extracting leftover gold from exhausted shafts.
This shadow economy, however, is often controlled by armed criminal syndicates, further complicating government efforts to regulate these operations. Local communities have voiced frustration, citing increased crime, including incidents of robbery and assault, that they attribute to the miners’ presence.
For the miners remaining underground, survival hinges on their ability to evade police while scrounging for any available resources. But with authorities resolute in their approach, the odds of safe escape appear increasingly slim.
