The police have blocked miners’ supplies of food and water to force them out and arrest them for illegally entering the abandoned mine in North West province in search of leftover gold – an issue that has plagued South Africa for decades. More than 1,000 illegal miners have resurfaced in recent weeks but police said last week that hundreds could still be underground. Local residents and human rights groups have criticized authorities for blocking their supplies.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 18, 2024 14:35 UTC