Concerns have been raised regarding the welfare of people beneath as authorities have stopped their access to food and water in an attempt to force the illegal miners to come to the surface.
In a statement released Friday, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) stated it is looking into the police for limiting the miners’ access to basic supplies including food, water, and medicine, which may have led to fatalities.
According to officials, at least one decomposing body has been found inside the mine.
According to a survey by South Africa’s Minerals Commission, illegal miners can spend months underground in old mines and travel up to 4 kilometers. However, circumstances underground are thought to be worsening in the absence of supplies.
