4,000 Miners are being starved out of the ground

[Animal]

This is really a bizarre story. In South Africa, there are an estimated 4,000 miners that basically live under ground, deep in old gold mines. They are illegal miners and aren't supposed to be down there, but they are. So the government has taken control of all of the entrances and are denying food and water to try to coax them out of the ground so they can be arrested. A few have popped up in various other mines close by as they found other ways out.

Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters on Wednesday that the government would not send any help to the illegal miners because they are involved in a criminal act. “We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. Criminals are not to be helped. We didn’t send them there,” Ntshavheni said.


Illegal mining remains common in South Africa’s old gold-mining areas, with miners going into closed shafts to dig for any possible remaining deposits.
The illegal miners are often from neighboring countries, and police say the illegal operations involve larger syndicates that employ the miners. Their presence in closed mines have also created problems with nearby communities, which complain that the illegal miners commit crimes ranging from robberies to rape.

Illegal mining groups are known to be heavily armed and disputes between rival groups sometimes result in fatal confrontations.

[Geist]

[Biker]

Make South Africa Pretoria Again

[woohooguy]

This is really a bizarre story. In South Africa, there are an estimated 4,000 miners that basically live under ground, deep in old gold mines. They are illegal miners and aren't supposed to be down there, but they are. So the government has taken control of all of the entrances and are denying food and water to try to coax them out of the ground so they can be arrested. A few have popped up in various other mines close by as they found other ways out.

Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters on Wednesday that the government would not send any help to the illegal miners because they are involved in a criminal act. “We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. Criminals are not to be helped. We didn’t send them there,” Ntshavheni said.


Illegal mining remains common in South Africa’s old gold-mining areas, with miners going into closed shafts to dig for any possible remaining deposits.
The illegal miners are often from neighboring countries, and police say the illegal operations involve larger syndicates that employ the miners. Their presence in closed mines have also created problems with nearby communities, which complain that the illegal miners commit crimes ranging from robberies to rape.

Illegal mining groups are known to be heavily armed and disputes between rival groups sometimes result in fatal confrontations.

I learned this was a thing on my 4:00 am drive into work a few days ago, compliments of the BBC news on my local NPR.

I didnt have time to listen really, just went back to work firing employees 15 minutes later.

[Animal]

This is really a bizarre story. In South Africa, there are an estimated 4,000 miners that basically live under ground, deep in old gold mines. They are illegal miners and aren't supposed to be down there, but they are. So the government has taken control of all of the entrances and are denying food and water to try to coax them out of the ground so they can be arrested. A few have popped up in various other mines close by as they found other ways out.

Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters on Wednesday that the government would not send any help to the illegal miners because they are involved in a criminal act. “We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out. They will come out. Criminals are not to be helped. We didn’t send them there,” Ntshavheni said.


Illegal mining remains common in South Africa’s old gold-mining areas, with miners going into closed shafts to dig for any possible remaining deposits.
The illegal miners are often from neighboring countries, and police say the illegal operations involve larger syndicates that employ the miners. Their presence in closed mines have also created problems with nearby communities, which complain that the illegal miners commit crimes ranging from robberies to rape.

Illegal mining groups are known to be heavily armed and disputes between rival groups sometimes result in fatal confrontations.

I learned this was a thing on my 4:00 am drive into work a few days ago, compliments of the BBC news on my local NPR.

I didnt have time to listen really, just went back to work firing employees 15 minutes later.

I wondered about this yesterday since i have not seen any follow up news on the story. I don't know if they have started smoking them out yet or if they are just dying down there.

[Animal]

update: It appears the number underground is believed to still be 350 to 400 miners. They did let them lower down some instant porridge the other day and they pulled two men out by rope. Those men were frail and badly dehydrated. I will keep everyone posted as more news comes out.

[woohooguy]

update: It appears the number underground is believed to still be 350 to 400 miners. They did let them lower down some instant porridge the other day and they pulled two men out by rope. Those men were frail and badly dehydrated. I will keep everyone posted as more news comes out.

Animal NPR updates, buzz my phone my good man!

[Animal]

update: It appears the number underground is believed to still be 350 to 400 miners. They did let them lower down some instant porridge the other day and they pulled two men out by rope. Those men were frail and badly dehydrated. I will keep everyone posted as more news comes out.

Animal NPR updates, buzz my phone my good man!

I am waiting for a call back from my south african porridge supplier now. Stay tuned.