Miners working illegally in an abandoned South African mine are facing starvation, with rescue efforts complicated by the authorities’ decision to limit aid to force them out. Many of the miners, who are reportedly afraid of arrest or deportation, have been trapped underground for nearly two weeks.
Al Jazeera’s Haru Mutasa, reporting from outside the mine, described the frustration of the local community, whose relatives are anxiously waiting for their loved ones to be rescued. The authorities initially shut the entrance to the mine in an operation called “Close the Hole,” aiming to clamp down on illegal mining. Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, a minister in the presidency, defended the move, stating, “We are not sending help to criminals. Criminals are not to be helped.”
However, after days of growing criticism, the government reversed its stance on Friday, announcing it had assembled a rescue team, including mine rescue experts, to develop a plan to bring the trapped miners to safety. Despite these efforts, many of the miners remain too weak to be rescued, and volunteers have continued their work to assist those who are emerging from the mine.