**Government Standoff with Illegal Gold Miners in South Africa**

An estimated 4,000 illegal miners have taken refuge underground in South Africa following the government’s drastic measures to cut off food and water supplies in an attempt to flush them out and arrest them. These miners have been hidden within a mineshaft in Stilfontein, located in the North West province, for approximately a month. Fearing deportation, many of these miners, who hail from neighboring countries such as Lesotho and Mozambique, are unwilling to cooperate with authorities.

Often referred to as "zama zama," meaning "take a chance" in Zulu, these illegal miners operate in abandoned mines across South Africa, a country rich in minerals. The illegal mining activities drain the South African government of hundreds of millions of dollars each year in lost sales. With the recent closure of many mines and subsequent layoffs, these miners, along with undocumented migrants, resort to underground digging to escape poverty and earn a living by selling gold on the black market.

Local residents have made earnest pleas to authorities to assist the beleaguered miners, but officials remain steadfast in their operation. “We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. We are not sending help to criminals. Criminals are not to be helped – they are to be persecuted,” stated Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

The police are cautious about entering the mines, wary of potential armed miners and those involved in criminal syndicates. Busi Thabane from the Benchmarks Foundation, a charity monitoring corporations in South Africa, highlighted the dire conditions underground, calling it a humanitarian crisis rather than just an issue of illegal mining.

Despite official measures to block supplies, local residents have managed to temporarily send basic necessities down to the miners using ropes. Communication has been maintained through notes exchanged on pieces of paper. Meanwhile, police have intensified efforts by blocking the entrances and exits of the mineshafts to exert pressure on the miners to surrender.

As part of the government's Vala Umgodi, or "Close the Hole" operation, aimed at curbing illegal mining, there has been some progress. On Wednesday, five miners were rescued, albeit in a frail and weak state. Paramedics provided immediate care before they were placed into police custody. In the last week alone, about 1,000 miners have surfaced and been subsequently arrested. The police and army remain stationed at the scene, prepared to detain those who emerge.

Thabane noted that many miners fear for their lives, complicating their decision to come out from hiding. Often, spending months underground under unsafe conditions is the only means for many miners to support their families. Local resident Emily Photsoa emphasized the emotional and social impact, urging the miners to resurface for the sake of their families who rely on them.

The South African Human Rights Commission has announced plans to investigate the police actions, expressing concerns about the deprivation of essential supplies to the miners and the potential implications on their right to life.