Chronicle Editor
Fourteen illegal miners have resurfaced from an abandoned gold mine shaft in Stilfontein in the North West since Sunday night, according to police.
“Eleven illegal miners just got out at Shaft 10, which is linked to Shaft 11, proving that they are not trapped – they just refuse to resurface. They chose to come out late at night, thinking police are no more standing static,” police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said on Sunday night.
“Others ran back into the shaft as soon as they noticed the police presence,” she added.
On Monday, Mathe added that a 14-year-old boy was among them
“They have confirmed what police have always been saying, that firstly there is no one trapped, and that there are 10 heavily armed Basotho nationals who are guarding them and making them dig for gold,” she said.
“They claim the food and water that was taken down was all confiscated by these Basotho guards and none of them were allowed to eat or drink. They are instead forced to work for the food and water,” Mathe added.
She said the operation would continue.
Miners and police have been locking horns after the police blocked their supply of food and water, forcing them out of the mine. NEWS24
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