JOHANNESBURG (A0) – The South African government says it will not help a group of illegal miners at a closed mine in the country’s North West province, who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of a official strategy against illegal mining.

Miners at the Stilfontein mine are reportedly suffering a lack of food, water and other essentials after police closed entrances used to transport their supplies underground.

It is part of the police’s Operation Vala Umgodi, or Close the Hole, which includes cutting off the miners’ supplies to force them to return to the surface and be arrested.

Police previously said information received from those who recently helped bring three miners to the surface indicated that up to 4,000 miners could be underground.

However, on Thursday afternoon, police spokeswoman Athlenda Mathe said she believed that figure was exaggerated and possibly much lower than that, estimating a figure between 350 and 400 minors.

“We believe the figures are exaggerated. We have deployed maximum resources on this matter, including our intelligence officers who are on the ground and who have engaged with all stakeholders.

“We managed to estimate their number between 350 and 400,” Mathe said.

South Africa’s police and defense ministers are expected to visit the mine on Thursday to engage with officials and community members on the ground, Mathe said.

Stilfontein is one of the mines targeted by police as they stepped up operations in the North West province from October 18.

It is unclear exactly how long the current group of miners have been underground, as they would often remain underground for months, relying on supplies of basic necessities like food and water from outside. .

“We have made the decision that no police officer, soldier or government official will go down into an abandoned mine. There is a high risk of loss of life,” she said.

Mathe said he had information that the miners may be heavily armed, adding that since operations against illegal miners began last December, police had seized more than 369 large-caliber firearms, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 5 million rand ($275,000) in cash and 32 million rand ($1.75 million) in rough diamonds.

In recent weeks, more than 1,000 miners have surfaced in various mines in the North-West province, with many believed to be weak, hungry and sick after going weeks without basic supplies.

Police continue to monitor areas around the mine on Thursday to arrest anyone who appears underground.

Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters on Wednesday that the government would not send any aid to illegal miners because they are involved in a criminal act.

“We are not sending help to criminals. We will smoke them out. They will come out. Criminals should not be helped. We did not send them there,” Ntshavheni said.

Remnants of illegal mining common in former gold mining areas of South Africa, with miners going into closed pits to dig for possible remaining deposits.

Illegal miners often come from neighboring countries, and police say the illegal operations involve larger syndicates that employ the miners.

Their presence in closed mines has also created problems with neighboring communities, who complain that illegal miners commit crimes ranging from theft to rape.

Illegal mining groups are known to be heavily armed, and conflicts between rival groups sometimes result in deadly clashes.