Approximately 4,000 illegal gold miners are currently underground in South Africa, hiding from authorities who have cut off their food and water supply in an attempt to flush them out and make arrests.
These miners have been holed up in a mineshaft in Stilfontein, located in the North West province, for about a month now.
Many of these miners are undocumented and come from neighboring countries like Lesotho and Mozambique, making them fearful of being deported if caught.
Illegal miners, known as “zama zama” (which means “take a chance” in Zulu), operate in abandoned mines in South Africa, causing the government to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue annually.
With the closure of many mines in recent years and subsequent job losses, these miners and undocumented migrants turn to illegal mining as a means of survival, digging up gold to sell on the black market.
Living underground for months, these miners have created a small underground economy where essentials like food, cigarettes, and cooked meals are sold to sustain them.
The authorities have initiated an operation called Vala Umgodi, or “Close the Hole,” to address illegal mining activities, with police and the army working to apprehend the miners resurfacing from the mineshaft.
While some miners have been successfully brought to the surface, concerns remain about others who may be armed or part of criminal syndicates.
The situation has been described as a humanitarian crisis by some observers, as conditions underground are dire and access to supplies is limited.
Despite mixed reactions to the government’s approach, efforts are ongoing to address the challenges posed by illegal mining in South Africa.
La decisión ayudará a este país”, escribió una persona en X.
Mientras que otros sintieron que la postura era inhumana.
“En mi opinión, este tipo de discurso del Ministro en la Presidencia es vergonzoso y peligroso discurso de odio”, dijo un usuario.
Otro escribió: “Son criminales pero también tienen derechos”.
La minería ilegal es un negocio lucrativo en muchas de las ciudades mineras de Sudáfrica.
Desde diciembre del año pasado, se han confiscado casi 400 armas de alto calibre, miles de balas, diamantes sin cortar y dinero de los mineros ilegales.
Esto es parte de una operación policial y militar intensiva para detener la práctica que tiene graves implicaciones ambientales.
Más historias de la BBC desde Sudáfrica:
[Getty Images/BBC]
Visite BBCAfrica.com para más noticias del continente africano.
Síguenos en Twitter @BBCAfrica, en Facebook en BBC África o en Instagram en bbcafrica
Podcasts de BBC Africa
“