Police in South Africa have evicted and arrested 540 illegal miners from an abandoned mine shaft.
Earlier this week, security forces blocked the supply of food and water to the miners in an attempt to drive them out of the mine.
The miners suffered from “starvation and dehydration” and were forced to resurface, police say.
People have been coming out of the mine, located in the northern city of Orkney, since Saturday, although hundreds are still believed to remain in the shaft.
On Sunday, the national police chief encouraged security forces on the ground “not to stand down” and to “ensure that the rule of law is restored,” according to a police statement.
The statement says that earlier this week, security forces “blocked communities in and around these abandoned mining crews in Orkney from delivering food parcels, water and supplies to these illegal miners”.
Police said on Saturday that 225 miners had resurfaced, but it was believed “hundreds, if not a thousand” were still underground.
In an update on Sunday, the national force said another 340 people had emerged from the mine and been arrested.
Thousands of illegal miners, known as ‘zama zamas’ (‘those who try their luck’ in Zulu), operate in the mineral-rich country.
National Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Shadrack Sibiya said more than 13,690 suspects have been arrested in seven provinces since December 2023.
“We have seized R5 million ($283,000; $220,000) in cash and uncut diamonds worth R32 million ($1.8 million; £1.4 million),” he said.
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