Miners hiding in a gold mine. Police blockade, court: these people are dying

Four thousands of miners are hiding in the disused Stilfontein gold mine In South Africa. They got there illegally, hoping to find remnants of gold and make money, but for a month they have been afraid to go to the surface due to the police blockade established around the entrances to the mine. Many of them are believed to be in South Africa without permission and could therefore face deportation if detained.

He decided to break this deadlock Supreme Court in Pretoria, which in a judgment issued on Saturday stated that each miner should be able to leave the mine and no one should block their exit. It was added that paramedics should also have free access to people underground.

– These people are dying underground – emphasizes Yasmin Omar, a lawyer who supported the filing of the lawsuit in this case. As she pointed out in an interview with state-owned broadcaster SABC, the court's ruling is a temporary order that will at least allow for quick help to be provided to those who need it most.

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In response to the court's ruling, South African police said on social media that they welcomed it but would continue to detain any miner who comes to the surface. It was stated that the judgment does not exclude the detention of miners who are in good health.

“All those who come to the surface will be examined by medical staff on site,” it was written. “Those who feel well will be detained. Those who require further medical care will be taken to hospital under police supervision,” it added. On the same day, three miners reached the surface, but two of them were immediately detained by officers and the third was taken to hospital.

The court's ruling came amid growing concern about the miners' health. Last week, Stilfontein community leader Thembile Botman said contact had been made with the miners and many of them were dehydrated and starving. The police cut off their access to water and food. Many of them are sick, cannot move, and some are already dead. So far, over a thousand miners have left the mine and been detained.

Meanwhile, the police announce that they will also fight against illegal mining in other mines in South Africa. The country is struggling with the problem of illegal extraction of raw materials from abandoned mines. According to researcher David Van Wyk from the Benchmarks Foundation, there are approximately 6,000 across South Africa. such abandoned mines. According to him, those that have been improperly closed are at risk of illegal mining. Analysts note, however, that the main cause of the phenomenon is the high level of unemployment and poverty in the entire region, due to which local residents, as well as migrants from neighboring countries, are forced to undertake such dangerous work.

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