By Enyichukwu Enemanna
As the standoff between police and illegal miners in South Africa continues, President Cyril Ramaphosa has cautioned against attempts to jeopardize lives, even as hundreds of are trapped in disused mine shaft.
In a weekly newsletter on Monday, Ramaphosa said the situation was precarious and could potentially turn volatile.
The police have blocked the supply of food and water to the trapped miners, an effort aimed at forcing them out and eventually arrested.
Authorities had launched an onslaught against them for illegally entering the abandoned mine located in North West province where they had gone in search of leftover gold.
Like other African countries, South Africa has for decades faced activities of illegal miners which authorities say undermines the economy.
Following the increased campaign, over 1,000 illegal miners have resurfaced in recent weeks.
Last week however, police insisted that hundreds could still be hiding underground.
Human rights groups have criticized authorities for blocking the supply of food and water to the trapped illegal miners.
In a weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa said the situation was precarious and could potentially turn volatile.
“The Stilfontein mine is a crime scene where the offense of illegal mining is being committed. It is standard police practice everywhere to secure a crime scene and to block off escape routes that enable criminals to evade arrest,” Ramaphosa said in the weekly newsletter,
The South African leader urged the police to respect the miners’ rights and not put their lives at risk, noting that his government would work with the mining industry on the issue of illegal mining.
“The police will carry out their duties and responsibilities to bring the illegal miners to the surface safely,” he said.
Illegal mining has thrived in South Africa through small-time pilfering and organized criminal networks, costing the economy billions of rands in lost income and royalties.
Activities of illegal mining has become a source of worry in some African nations, as it leads to severe environmental degradation. The unregulated extraction processes result in deforestation, soil erosion, and water pollution.
In Ghana, illegal mining has stripped an estimated 28 billion tons of material from the earth, causing more damage than natural erosion.
