S/Africa arrests 14 who resurfaced from illegal mine

South African police said Monday that 14 people were arrested after resurfacing from an illegal gold mine where hundreds of others are believed to be hiding.

Authorities have been stationed for weeks outside the abandoned pit in Stilfontein, about 150 kilometres (100 miles) southwest of Johannesburg, intermittently blocking locals from sending down food and water to force the miners out.

The operation has caused uproar with some fearing that the men, known as “zama zamas” (“those who try” in the Zulu language) could be starving or even dying underground.

“A total of 14 illegal miners resurfaced last night — proving that they are not trapped — they just refuse to resurface,” police said in a statement.

“Others ran back into the shaft as soon as they noticed the police presence,” it added.

Those arrested “are all Mozambicans,” police said.

There are thousands of illegal miners, often from neighbouring countries, operating in the mineral-rich nation, living and working in arduous conditions.

One of them who spoke to AFP after resurfacing from the mine shaft on November 17 said he had spent two months underground.

Some officials have said that illegal miners deserved no help, including minister of the presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who said “we’re going to smoke them out.”

It remains unclear how many are underground at Stilfontein — a community member had intially said 4,000 people were down the mine, but police later said the number was probably in the hundreds.

President Cyril Ramaphosa defended the police for blocking supplies in a bid to force the miners to emerge.

“Those in good health are detained and will be processed according to the law. Those who require medical care will be taken to hospital under police guard,” he said.