Over 1,400 Illegal Miners Emerge from Abandoned Mines in Stilfontein, South Africa
Click to start listening
Johannesburg, Dec 9 (NationPress) The South African Police Service has reported that six additional illegal miners have emerged from various abandoned mine shafts in Stilfontein, North West Province, bringing the total number of miners who have surfaced from underground to 1,420.
Authorities have recovered eight bodies at one of the mine shafts, as per police statements released late Sunday.
With over 1,400 illegal miners apprehended, the police continue to keep a watchful eye on the situation, anticipating more miners to emerge.
However, the precise number of miners still trapped underground remains unclear, according to reports from the Xinhua news agency.
"We have inquired with those who have emerged regarding the number of individuals still trapped. Their accounts are inconsistent. Some claim that over 3,000 are still underground, while others suggest the figures are lower. Therefore, we cannot make any assumptions," stated North West Police Spokesperson Adele Myburgh in a report to Xinhua on Monday.
The abandoned mines, which have been inactive for several years, present considerable safety hazards, complicating police efforts to enter and rescue the miners.
For nearly a month, police have been surveilling the dormant mining shafts in Stilfontein after reports indicated that thousands of illegal miners, primarily from neighboring nations, were accessing the shafts in search of gold.
Recently, a high court mandated that the miners still underground be provided with food and other essential supplies, a directive the government has adhered to.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola reiterated last week that law enforcement will persist in their efforts to combat illegal mining, highlighting the perils associated with the hazardous shafts.
