President Cyril Ramaphosa called Monday for the safe recovery of hundreds of illegal miners trapped in an abandoned gold mine, urging police to respect their rights despite a controversial blockade of food and water supplies meant to force their surrender.
“The police will carry out their duties and responsibilities to bring the illegal miners to the surface safely,” Ramaphosa said, emphasizing that lives should not be put at risk during the ongoing standoff in North West province. The president promised his government would work with the mining industry to address the broader issue of illegal mining.
The crisis highlights South Africa’s decades-long struggle with unauthorized mining, which costs the economy billions of rands in lost income and royalties through both small-scale theft and organized criminal networks.
Twelve miners have emerged since Wednesday with the help of volunteers, according to public broadcaster SABC, though it remains unclear whether those still underground are unable or unwilling to exit. Police maintain their blockade of the shaft, aiming to arrest the miners for illegally entering the abandoned mine in search of remaining gold deposits.
