SOUTH AFRICA ARRESTS 14 ILLEGAL MINERS WHO RESURFACED FROM ABANDONED PIT. (PHOTO).

 South Africa Arrests 14 Illegal Miners Who Resurfaced from Abandoned Pit

South African police arrested 14 people who emerged from an illegal gold mine, where hundreds of others are believed to be hiding. The arrests followed weeks of authorities monitoring an abandoned pit in Stilfontein, located about 150 kilometers (100 miles) southwest of Johannesburg, and intermittently blocking local residents from sending food and water to the miners to force them to surface.

The operation has sparked controversy, with concerns that the miners, known as “zama zamas” (meaning "those who try" in Zulu), could be starving or dying underground. Police stated that 14 individuals resurfaced on Sunday night, dispelling claims that they were trapped, instead indicating they were deliberately avoiding emerging. Some miners ran back into the shaft upon seeing police presence.

The arrested miners are all reported to be Mozambican nationals. The country has thousands of illegal miners, often from neighboring nations, working under harsh conditions. One miner, who emerged on November 17, shared that he had been underground for two months.

Some officials, including Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, have stated that the miners should not be helped, with the minister saying, “we’re going to smoke them out.” While initial reports suggested up to 4,000 miners were underground, authorities later estimated the number to be in the hundreds.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa defended the police’s actions, emphasizing the need to block supplies to encourage the miners to emerge. He also highlighted that over 1,000 miners have been arrested at the Stilfontein site, which he described as “a crime scene.” Those in good health are being detained, while those needing medical attention are being taken to the hospital under police supervision.