South African police plan to remove illegal miners from underground

South Africa Police Spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says rescue experts have met and a retrieval operation for illegal miners in an abandoned mine is being worked out.

This comes amid a standoff between the miners and police, which has dragged on for more than a month.

The authorities say the illegal miners are not trapped, but have refused to emerge from the abandoned mine for fear of being arrested by waiting police officers.

''We are continuing, as directed by the Minister of Police, with the rescue plan. Yesterday, the rescue experts met, and they have indicated that they will be starting with a rescue mission," Mathe told reporters on Tuesday.

Rescue operation plan

Mathe says a rescue operation plan is being considered but raised concerns over risks.

"We know that, because of the risks as well, they will be putting a camera down there to assess first.

Meanwhile, a South African High court has adjourned a case filed the by miners demanding that they be allowed to emerge from underground without being arrested, state broadcaster SABC reports.

An organisation, Society for the Protection of our Constitution, approached the court on behalf of the miners.

'Peaceful resolution'

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa had said that illegal miners’ activities posed a risk to “our economy, communities, and personal safety." He, however, called for a peaceful resolution to the standoff.

“The miners, who entered the mine to conduct illegal mining operations, face arrest. The operation forms part of the nationwide Operation Vala Umgodi, which continues to register gains in cracking down on illicit mining activities across the country,” Ramaphosa said on Monday.

South African police say they have information that some of the miners may be “heavily armed” and that the “legal miners are recruited by criminal gangs and form part of wider organised crime syndicates.”

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