In order to assist thousands of illegal miners who may have been underground for a month, dozens of volunteers have invaded an abandoned gold mine in South Africa.
The authorities have adopted a tough stance, cutting off food and water supplies since the miners in Stilfontein purposefully entered the pit in an attempt to recover gold or mineral remnants.
One government minister declared earlier this week that “we are going to smoke them out.”
Since some of the miners are undocumented workers who fear deportation or arrest, they have refused to cooperate with the authorities.
According to reports, the miners have been surviving underground by consuming toothpaste and vinegar.
