South Africa’s special military and police unit has arrested 565 illegal miners after they were forced out of their underground operations at an abandoned mining shaft in Orkney, North West region.
The security operatives had earlier in the week cut off the suspects’ food and water supplies after being deployed in December last year to combat illegal mining in Orkney and surrounding mining locations.
In total, 565 illegal miners surrendered due to hunger and dehydration while hundreds are believed to remain in the shaft.
The miners experienced “starvation and dehydration” and were forced to resurface, police said in a statement on Sunday.
The national police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said “These 565 illegal miners are part of others believed to be hundreds if not a thousand illegal miners who are stuck underground with no food, water and other necessities because of the Vala Umgodi [operation].
“Since its inception in December 2023 to date, more than 13,691 suspects have been arrested in the seven provinces that are hotspots for illegal mining. “
“The teams led by the SAPS and SANDF [SA National Defence Force] are blocking routes used to deliver food and necessities to these illegal miners.”
The police had reported on Saturday that 225 miners had resurfaced, but “hundreds if not a thousand” were thought to still be underground.
However, in an update on Sunday, the national force said an additional 340 had emerged from the mine and placed under arrest.
Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, deputy national police commissioner responsible for crime detection, said they would not back down until all the illegal miners resurfaced and arrested.