A group of 14 illegal miners, including a 14-year-old boy, have been arrested in South Africa after emerging from a mine shaft at Stilfontein mine in the North West province, police said.
The miners, believed to be part of a larger group still underground, took advantage of the night to surface, hoping to avoid detection by authorities, National Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said.
Authorities have been trying for weeks to empty the abandoned gold mine in the North West province as part of a crackdown on illegal mining, which has plagued South Africa for decades.
“A total of 14 illegal miners resurfaced on Sunday evening at shaft 10, which is nearby to shaft 11, where all these illegal miners have been resurfacing from. So, it just goes to show that these two shafts are linked and that no one is trapped—they can actually come out on their own—they are just refusing to come out and resurface because they are avoiding arrest,” Mathe said.
'Miners not trapped'
Relatives had earlier accused authorities of trapping the miners underground and blocking efforts to provide them with food and water, state broadcaster SABC reports.
But police say the illegal miners are not trapped but have refused to emerge from the abandoned mine for fear of being arrested.
Authorities are, however, concerned about the safety of the remaining miners, who are believed to be in dangerous conditions and a lack of supplies, and have initiated a rescue operation.
Last week, the Society for the Protection of Our Constitution sought a court order to allow the miners to emerge without fear of arrest. However, the court has ruled against this application, citing the police's right to enforce the law.
Police said others ran back into the shaft as soon as they noticed the police presence.
"Those arrested "are all Mozambicans," police added.
There are thousands of illegal miners, often from neighbouring countries, operating in the mineral-rich nation, living and working in arduous conditions.
One of them who spoke to AFP after resurfacing from the mine shaft on November 17 said he had spent two months underground.
Some officials have said that illegal miners deserved no help, including the minister of the presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who said, "We're going to smoke them out."
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa had said that illegal miners’ activities posed a risk to “our economy, communities, and personal safety." He, however, called for a peaceful resolution to the standoff.
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