Miners’ Plight Worsens as Food and Water Supplies Halted by Law Enforcement
Image Source: REUTERS/IHSAAN HAFFEJEE
Law enforcement has halted the delivery of food and water to underground miners to pressure them to come to the surface, sparking concerns for their safety. The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is investigating the police for restricting vital supplies, which may have led to deaths, as reported on Friday.
Police reports confirmed that at least one decomposed body has been recovered from the mine. Illegal miners, capable of descending as deep as four kilometers, might stay underground for months in abandoned mines. However, conditions in the tunnels are believed to be worsening without necessary supplies.
There are varying accounts of the number of miners trapped in the abandoned gold mine in North West province. North West police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabone mentioned that three miners who surfaced estimated around 4,000 miners might still be trapped. During a press conference, Police Deputy National Commissioner Tebello Mosikili noted, “We can’t confirm or deny these figures, but we have recorded 1,187 miners who have emerged.”
Families anxiously wait near the mine shaft for their loved ones. “We are here for our brothers and sisters. My husband has been underground for eight months,” Ntomboxolo Qwanti told Agence France-Presse (AFP). Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe explained, “We are halting and preventing food and water from being sent down there as a tactic to compel these illegal miners to come up because their actions are unlawful.”
Meshack Mbangula, leader of the community organization Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA), told CNN that supplies have been cut off for the past three months. David Van Wyk from Johannesburg’s Benchmarks Foundation mentioned, “At this point, they are likely starving, dehydrating, and breathing in harmful dust. They are expected to emerge very weak and ill.” The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) expressed serious concern, calling the situation potentially catastrophic and criticizing the cutoff of food and water as cruel and ineffective.
Community member Emily Photsoa warned AFP, “We are suffering alongside them,” and cautioned that more miners could die without medical supplies and water.
The situation has intensified due to around 100,000 artisanal miners, known as “zama zamas,” who are involved in illegal mining. The vast majority of minerals obtained through artisanal mining are sold on the black market. SAFTU linked the crisis to government failures in regulating the mining sector.
Van Wyk highlighted that the increase in illegal mining is related to thousands of abandoned mines, which large companies have failed to secure. “There are around 6,000 abandoned mines in the nation. They don’t properly close these mines as required by law,” he said, adding that former workers often lack other skills, forcing them to mine for income.
Authorities have ramped up efforts to combat illegal mining, which results in an annual loss exceeding a billion dollars for South Africa. The illegal gold trade significantly impacts the industry.
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