South African minister holds out olive branch to illegal miners in stand-off with police

Illegal miners in a "dangerous" stand-off with police in South Africa are committing a crime by staying underground in a disused shaft, according to a government minister in the country.

But Senzo Mchunu also insisted the government wanted to save lives and that authorities would work together to end the situation safely.

The police minister's remarks seem more conciliatory than those of a cabinet minister who previously said the government would not send help because they were breaking the law.

Hundreds of people are believed to be underground after entering the Stilfontein abandoned shaft, which descends vertically for over a mile, in search of leftover gold.

Minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni claimed on Wednesday the South African government would "smoke them out" because they were 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," Ms Ntshavheni said.

However, Mr Mchunu, who visited the site on Friday, told a news briefing: "We need a much quicker process because it is risky and dangerous for them to remain where they are."

What's happened so far?

Police have cut off supplies of food and water to force the miners to return to the surface, so they can be arrested.

More than 1,000 illegal miners have already resurfaced in recent weeks at various mines in South Africa's North West province as officers have cracked down, and at least one dead body has been brought up in Stilfontein.

Police and community members have been at the entrance where a pulley has been set up to hoist men out.

Dozens of relatives have waited at the site hoping their loved ones will emerge safely.

'People are dying underground'

On Thursday, a community leader told local news outlet News24 the men were too weak to exit the mine.

"I'm here waiting for young people who are underground, who are dying," Zimbabwean national Roselina Nyuzeya said.

She also said a woman was crying nearby and waiting for her husband who had been underground since April.

Police spokeswoman Athlenda Mathe believes between 350 and 400 miners are underground.

The miners are often from neighbouring countries, and police have said the illegal operations involve larger syndicates that employ the miners.

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Stilfontein is one of the mines that were targeted by police in the North West province who stepped up their crackdown from 18 October.

It is unclear how long the current group of miners have been underground as the groups reportedly often stay there for months.

"We have taken a decision that no police officer, no soldier or government official will go down to an abandoned mine. There is a high risk of loss of life," said Ms Mathe.

She said the miners may be heavily armed.