Worried relatives of illegal miners, feared to number in the hundreds, gathered outside an abandoned mine shaft in Stilfontein, North West province, hoping their loved ones would emerge.
Police have blocked supplies of food and water to force the miners out for arrest, as they seek leftover gold—a longstanding issue in South Africa. More than 1,000 miners have come to the surface in recent weeks amid intensified police actions, with at least one deceased body retrieved.
It is unclear whether those remaining underground are unwilling or unable to return. The vertical shaft descends over 2 km (1.2 miles) deep. By the mine entrance, police and locals stood watch, using a pulley system to aid any potential rescues.
“I’m here waiting for the young people underground, who are dying,” said Roselina Nyuzeya, a Zimbabwean national, as she stood behind police barricades. Nearby, a woman wept, awaiting her husband who had been trapped since April.
Illegal mining has plagued South Africa for decades, involving both small-scale and organized criminal efforts. Many miners, known locally as zama-zamas—a Zulu term for “taking a chance”—are immigrants from neighboring countries.
Presidency Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni stated that the government would not assist criminals but would instead “smoke them out.” This comment sparked backlash, with some community members holding signs reading “Smoke ANC out,” referencing the ruling African National Congress party.
Matsidiso Ramolla, a Stilfontein resident, pleaded, “We are asking for help from the government to assist us so our children can come out of the mine. All we are asking for is their remains to come out.”