South Africa’s government won’t help the illegal miners inside a closed mine

Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa’s government will not help the illegal miners inside a closed mine as part of an official policy against illegal mining. The miners in the mineshaft in Stilfontein in North West province 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. More than 1,000 miners have surfaced at various mines in the province over the past several weeks. Many were reported to be weak and hungry after going for weeks without basic supplies.