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 folks nonetheless trapped in an deserted goldmine within the northwestern city of Stilfontein “as quickly as attainable”.
In an interview with Al Jazeera on Friday, Senzo Mchunu mentioned the precise variety of folks underground continues to be not recognized.
The authorities have been stationed for weeks outdoors the deserted pit in Stilfontein, about 150km (100 miles) southwest of Johannesburg, intermittently blocking locals from sending down meals and water to attempt to pressure the miners out.
The operation has triggered outrage with some fearing that the boys could be starving 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 circumstances within the shaft, which the police have sought to verify via digital camera surveillance, Mchunu mentioned six to seven people who find themselves on the prime of the shaft are “commanding the entire thing”.
“The meals and water that trickle down could be below the management of these folks. … They command all the pieces there, and folks beneath are saved in opposition to their will,” he mentioned.
Three youngsters who lately emerged, one 19 and two aged 16, informed Al Jazeera concerning the mistreatment they confronted.
“The boys who rent us generally don’t give us meals. However we see them consuming every single day. 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 typically keep there for months, relying on provides of fundamental requirements like meals and water from the skin.
The police’s “Vala Umgodi”, or “Shut the Gap”, operation has lower off miners’ provides to pressure them to return to the floor and be arrested.
This week, 14 folks, together with a teenage boy, who emerged unassisted have been arrested.
President Cyril Ramaphosa defended the police for blocking provides in a bid to pressure 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 will likely be processed in accordance with the regulation. Those that require medical care will likely 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, in accordance with the federal government.
Mchunu famous that poverty and lack of jobs in South Africa typically forces folks to mine illegally to earn a residing. 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 beneficial 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.
