South African government says it won’t help thousands of illegal miners inside a closed mine

Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa’s government says it will not help an estimated 4,000 illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country’s North West province as part of an official policy against illegal mining. The miners in the mineshaft in Stilfontein are believed to be suffering from a lack of food, and water after police closed off the entrances used to transport their supplies underground. It is part of a police operation which includes cutting off miners’ supplies to force them to return to the surface and be arrested. In the past few weeks, over 1,000 miners have surfaced at various mines in North West province. Many were reported to be weak and hungry after going for weeks without basic supplies.