Police have retrieved the body of an illegal miner and rescued about five others at an abandoned mine shaft in Orkney, Stilfontein, in the North West.
At the time of going to print, this was the first body to be retrieved, since the police Vala Umgodi operation commenced at the mine in the past week.
Authorities have described the rescued zama zamas as weak and in poor health before they received medical attention.
Meanwhile, police continue to appeal to more than 4 000 illegal miners, to return to the surface and end the stand-off.
Moreover, authorities said in line with safeguarding lives, the SAPS and SANDF have allowed for water and food to be delivered to those underground so that they can safely resurface.
“The SAPS call on these illegal miners to resurface so that they can get relevant help or aid, including any medical attention that may be required.
We appeal to the community in the area to allow the police space to do their job.
The SAPS will not allow criminality to thrive,” said provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.
To date, more than 1 000 illegal miners have resurfaced from the abandoned mine, and police are confident that more will resurface in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has vowed that government will not help the trapped miners.
“We are not sending help to criminals.
We are going to smoke them out, they will come out.
Criminals are not to be helped, criminals are to be persecuted. We didn’t send them there.
And they didn’t go down there for the good benefit or good intentions for the Republic.
So, we can’t help them,” said Ntshavheni.
The Ministry of Police, together with the Ministry of Defence, are expected to visit the area on Friday.
To date, more than 1 000 illegal miners have surfaced and arrested.
