In an interview with Al Jazeera, Senzo Mchunu says authorities have no idea how many individuals are trapped within the disused goldmine in Stilfontein.
South Africa’s police minister has pledged to rescue all of the individuals nonetheless trapped in an deserted goldmine within the northwestern city of Stilfontein “as quickly as potential”.
In an interview with Al Jazeera on Friday, Senzo Mchunu mentioned the precise variety of individuals underground remains to be not identified.
The authorities have been stationed for weeks exterior the deserted pit in Stilfontein, about 150km (100 miles) southwest of Johannesburg, intermittently blocking locals from sending down meals and water to attempt to power the miners out.
The operation has triggered outrage with some fearing that the lads may very well be ravenous and even dying underground.
Police had earlier indicated that as much as 4,000 miners could also be trapped. On Thursday, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe mentioned they imagine that quantity was exaggerated and gave an estimate of 350 to 400 miners.
Describing the situations within the shaft, which the police have sought to test by way of digicam surveillance, Mchunu mentioned six to seven people who find themselves on the high of the shaft are “commanding the entire thing”.
“The meals and water that trickle down can be below the management of these individuals. … They command all the things there, and other people beneath are stored towards their will,” he mentioned.
Three youngsters who not too long ago emerged, one 19 and two aged 16, instructed Al Jazeera concerning the mistreatment they confronted.
“The boys who rent us generally don’t give us meals. However we see them consuming on daily basis. In the event you complain, they beat you up,” mentioned one of many three who comes from Mozambique.
The three mentioned they weren’t rescued by the federal government however got here out as a result of they have been allowed to.
It’s unclear how lengthy the miners have been underground as a result of they’re reported to usually keep there for months, relying on provides of fundamental requirements like meals and water from the surface.
The police’s “Vala Umgodi”, or “Shut the Gap”, operation has minimize off miners’ provides to power them to return to the floor and be arrested.
This week, 14 individuals, together with a teenage boy, who emerged unassisted have been arrested.
President Cyril Ramaphosa defended the police for blocking provides in a bid to power the miners out.
“To date, greater than 1,000 miners have surfaced and been arrested,” Ramaphosa mentioned final week, calling the positioning in Stilfontein “a criminal offense scene”.
“These in good well being are detained and might be processed based on the legislation. Those that require medical care might be taken to hospital below police guard,” he mentioned.
Unlawful gold mining is widespread in South Africa, a one-time mining big. Hundreds of individuals routinely seek for gold deposits in deserted mines which can be not deemed viable or protected. Greater than $1bn is misplaced yearly in income due to unlawful mining, based on the federal government.
Mchunu famous that poverty and lack of jobs in South Africa usually forces individuals to mine illegally to earn a dwelling. He mentioned the police ought to look into choices of turning unlawful mining right into a authorized exercise.
Nationals of Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Mozambique are additionally victims of unlawful mining in South Africa.
Mchunu really useful speaking to South Africa’s neighbours concerning the matter.
They need to “take care of their residents by creating jobs and never permit them to be unlawful migrants to South Africa”, he mentioned.
