South African authorities have restricted food and water supplies to an estimated 350 to 4,000 illegal miners in a shaft in the country's North West province. The standoff is the latest flashpoint in a government policy to end illegal mining by closing off supply lines, forcing workers to resurface and face arrest.
Illegal mining is common in South Africa, once the world's largest gold producer, now home to thousands of abandoned mines. Migrant workers—including those from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho—join local syndicates to search for abandoned minerals. It's a dangerous industry reportedly costing the country hundreds of millions of dollars in lost sales and taxes, with some workers linked to violent crimes.
Since police encircled this latest mine shaft weeks ago, 1,000 workers have resurfaced and have been arrested; others are reportedly growing weak from lack of access to food and water. The body of at least one miner has been recovered.
Learn more about the migrant mining industry here (w/video).
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