South Africa: Volunteers Enter Abandoned Mine Shaft to Help Illegal Miners

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Facts

  • Three groups of 50 volunteers have entered an abandoned gold mine in South Africa's North West province to bring aid to illegal miners who are either unwilling or incapable of coming out.[1][2]
  • This comes after the government earlier this week said it wouldn't assist the miners, and police cut off food and water supplies to force them to come to the surface.[3][4]
  • Police, who initiated the blockade on Oct. 18 as part of operation 'Close the Hole,' had previously suggested that as many as 4K could be underground. However, a spokesperson on Thursday said that the number is likely closer to between 350 and 400.[5]
  • Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said they're 'going to smoke them out,' while federal chair of the Democratic Alliance, Helen Zille, said the police should 'arrest and prosecute' the trapped miners but not 'leave them to perish in horrific circumstances.'[6]
  • Illegal mining is common in South Africa's old gold-mining areas. Miners, often from neighboring countries, go into closed mines to dig for any possible remaining deposits. According to the police, these operations involve heavily armed larger syndicates.[7][8]
  • Illegal mining reportedly costs the country hundreds of millions of dollars annually, with authorities having confiscated hundreds of high-caliber firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition, as well as uncut diamonds and money, from illegal miners since December.[4][2]

Sources: [1]France 24, [2]BBC News, [3]Associated Press, [4]CNN, [5]Newsweek, [6]Iol (a), [7]Iol (b) and [8]PBS NewsHour.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by The South African. These illegal miners, who voluntarily went into the mine to conduct illicit business, must come back up on their own. If volunteers wish to go down themselves to deliver food, that's fine, but police officers shouldn't risk their lives to help criminals. They will come out eventually and face the prosecution they deserve.
  • Narrative B, as provided by TimesLIVE. This strategy is inhumane. While the government's frustration with illegal mining is reasonable, it shouldn't prevent them from saving human lives. After police rescue these individuals from starving to death, they can arrest and prosecute them — but until then, they should follow the principle of ubuntu and show compassion.