SA won’t help 4,000 illegal miners stuck in closed mine

A mine shaft where an estimated 4000 illegal miners are trapped in a disused mine in Stilfontein, South Africa. Pic/AP

South Africa's government says it will not help about 4,000 illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country's North West province as part of an official policy against illegal mining. The miners in the mineshaft in Stilfontein are believed to be suffering from a lack of food, water and other basic necessities after police closed off the entrances used to transport their supplies underground.

It is part of the police's Vala Umgodi, or Close the Hole, operation, which includes cutting off miners' supplies to force them to return to the surface and be arrested. In the last few weeks, over 1,000 miners have surfaced at various mines in North West province, reportedly weak, hungry and sickly after going for weeks without basic supplies.

About 20 miners have surfaced from the mineshaft in Stilfontein this week as police stand guard to catch all those appearing from underground. Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the government would not send any help to the illegal miners because they are involved in a criminal act.

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