There is a growing number of illegal miners trespassing closed mines in search of leftover deposits.
There is a growing number of illegal miners trespassing closed mines in search of leftover deposits. Image: AP
(The Post News)– South African authorities have stated they will keep apprehending any unauthorized miners coming out of an abandoned gold mine where hundreds, maybe even thousands, of individuals are seeking refuge.
This comes after a legal ruling stating that the mine shaft in Stilfontein, located approximately 90 miles (145 km) southwest of Johannesburg, must remain unobstructed. Emergency services have been present at the site for a number of days. The police have been stopping food and water from getting into the mine in order to force the people inside to come out, as one government official described it.
The miners, having spent one month underground, are currently unwilling to come out of the mine due to concerns about being apprehended. The group includes undocumented immigrants who fear deportation as well. South Africans have widely criticized the government’s strict policy, prompting the police to allow volunteers to visit the miners and give them a little food and drink.
On Saturday, Pretoria Court issued a ruling stating that the mine must remain unblocked and cannot be obstructed by any individual or organization, whether public or private. It was also stated that all individuals inside the mine must be permitted to leave, and no one except emergency workers may enter the mine shaft. Three miners emerged on Saturday, with one of them being transported to the hospital for medical care. The remaining pair got apprehended.
Some accounts indicate that the miners had turned to consuming vinegar and toothpaste in order to stay alive. Volunteers reported extracting a body from the mine on Thursday. According to the Minerals Council of South Africa, the majority of mines have become unprofitable due to increased mining costs, including electricity disruptions and deeper deposits, despite the continued value of gold as a commodity.
Miners and undocumented migrants are increasingly resorting to entering closed mines in order to search for the last remaining deposits as a means of surviving tough economic conditions. Some individuals reside underground for several months, and illicit mining has given rise to a minor economy supplying miners with food and cigarettes.
Nevertheless, the authorities are eager to put an end to the practice. Criminal gangs may enlist illegal miners who could potentially be armed. The South African Police Service has previously reported that some of the people who emerged from the Stilfontein mine were from Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. The police force has initiated a countrywide mission to address illegal mining and associated criminal actions.
It was reported on 3 November that a total of 565 individuals had been rescued from a mine located in Orkney, situated to the southwest of Johannesburg. However, the South African Human Rights Commission announced on Friday that they had launched an inquiry into the SAPS’s management of the Stilfontein mine incident due to concerns that the blockade may have violated the miners’ right to life.
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