Johannesburg — South Africa’s government has stated that it will not assist a group of illegal miners trapped within a shuttered mine in the country’s North West region, who have been refused access to basic supplies as part of an official policy against illegal mining. The miners in Stilfontein’s mineshaft are thought to be suffering from a lack of food, water, and other basic necessities after authorities sealed off the openings used to bring supplies underground.

It is part of the police’s Vala Umgodi, or Close the Hole, operation, which also involves cutting off miners’ supplies in order to force them to return to the surface and face arrest. Police had previously stated that information obtained from people who had assisted in bringing three miners to the surface indicated that up to 4,000 miners may be underground. However, on Thursday afternoon, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe stated that they believed the number was inflated and may be far lower, estimating 350 to 400 miners.

We believe that the figures are being inflated. We have deployed all available resources to this matter, including our intelligence operatives who are on the ground and have met with all stakeholders. “We have managed to estimate the numbers to be between 350 and 400,” Mathe told me.

South African police and defence ministers are set to visit the mine on Thursday to meet with officials and community people, Mathe added. Stilfontein is one among the mines targeted by police as they increased their operation in the North West province beginning October 18.

It’s unclear how long the current group of miners has been down, although groups are known to stay below for months at a time, relying on outside supply of basic requirements such as food and water. “We have decided that no police officer, soldier, or government official will go down into an abandoned mine.” “There is a significant risk of death,” she stated. Mathe said they had information that the miners may be heavily armed, adding that since embarking on operations against illegal miners since last December, police have seized more than 369 high calibre firearms, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 5 million rand ($275,000) in cash, and 32 million rand ($1.75 million) in uncut diamonds

Over the last few weeks, over 1,000 miners have appeared at various mines in North West province, with many believed to be frail, hungry, and unwell after going weeks without basic supplies.