Thousands of Trapped Miners Face Starvation and Arrest in South Africa

For over a month, four thousand miners in Stilfontein, South Africa have become trapped in a disused gold mine, without food or water. This is due to the police's Vala Umgodi, or Close the Hole, operation, which has stated that they plan to ‘smoke out’ the miners until they are forced to resurface, where they can then be swiftly arrested.

South Africa once dominated the mining industry, producing over 70% of the world’s supply of gold and platinum. Due to declining supply, increasing costs, and governmental corruption, hundreds of mines were left empty without thousands of workers dismissed. Now, driven by poverty, some have returned to the mines, searching for small gold deposits to sell on the black market.

Many of the people trapped inside these mines are thought to be illegal immigrants, mostly from Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Criminal gangs are suspected of recruiting these people, who may also be armed. Local communities have reported cases of robbery and rape committed by these groups. As a result, the police have taken the extreme approach of blocking all entrances and exits to the mines, stopping any food or water from entering. It is believed that once the people inside become too desperate to live in these conditions, they will be arrested upon exit.

The government refused to help any of the miners, stating ‘Criminals are not to be helped; criminals are to be prosecuted’. However, after a national outcry from human rights activists and the recovery of a decomposed body, the courts ordered the police blockade to be lifted. Although this means that those who need life-saving aid can be helped, the police have stated that they still intend to arrest anyone who is in the country illegally.

Family members of the miners have expressed their anger at the government. Thandeka Tom, whose brother is still in the mine, has said when asked of the police: ‘They’re speaking from a point of privilege… people are breaking the law as they try to put food on the table’. Dozens of volunteers and protestors are outside the mine, waiting for news from below.

So far, two men have been rescued from Stilfontein and are visibly weakened by their ordeal. They have stated that several people are too weak to leave the mine after surviving on vinegar and toothpaste for days. In the last week, 1,170 people have been rescued from mines across the area, with many of them being taken into police custody.