South Africa's government says it won't help a group of illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country's North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.

Johannesburg — More than 4,000 miners locked in a standoff with South African authorities over illegal mining were believed to be sick and increasingly weak inside an abandoned mine shaft Thursday. South African police confirm the partly decomposed body ...

The South African government will not assist illegal miners trapped in a closed mine, denying them basic supplies as part of a crackdown on illegal mining.

The question arises whether the police are complying with the law by starving these illegal miners out of mine shafts?

South African police on Sunday say 340 illegal miners were arrested after being forced out of an abandoned mine shaft due to a lack of food and water. This followed the previous arrest of 225 others,

South Africa's government says it will not help an estimated 4,000 illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country's North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.

Several hundred people are believed to remain in an illegal mine in South Africa after the government cut off vital supplies and refused to help them, in a dramatic bid to crack down on the industry.

Up to 4,000 illegal miners are estimated to be underground in an abandoned mine while South African authorities try to clear them out and arrest them. View on euronews