South Africa’s government has stated it will not provide assistance to an estimated 4,000 illegal miners trapped in a closed mine in the North West province. These miners, believed to be operating in Stilfontein’s mineshaft, are reported to be facing severe shortages of food, water, and other essential supplies after police closed off their access routes as part of the ongoing “Vala Umgodi” operation. The strategy aims to force illegal miners to emerge from underground and face arrest by cutting off their supplies.
Police have indicated that as many as 4,000 miners could be underground, though an official estimate has not been provided. In the past few weeks, over 1,000 miners have surfaced from various mines across the province, many of whom have been reported to be in poor health, weak, and malnourished due to their extended stay without proper provisions.
Despite the miners’ dire situation, government officials have made it clear that no help will be provided. Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni declared that the government would not send aid to those involved in illegal mining, stating, “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.” The government’s position underscores the view that illegal mining is a criminal activity, and those involved should face the consequences.
Illegal mining remains a significant issue in South Africa, particularly in the country’s old gold mining areas. Miners, many of whom are from neighboring countries, enter closed mines to extract any remaining gold. These operations are often run by organized syndicates, and the miners are typically employed in dangerous conditions with minimal protection. Local communities have also expressed concern over the activities of these illegal miners, citing increased crime, including robberies and assaults. In some cases, armed conflicts between rival mining groups have led to fatal violence.
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