JOHANNESBURG (A0) – South Africa’s government says it will not help a group of illegal miners at a closed mine in the country’s North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.

Miners in the Stilfontein mine shaft are believed to be suffering from a lack of food, water and other basic supplies after police closed the entrances used to transport their supplies underground.

It is part of the police’s Operation Vala Umgodi, or Close the Hole, which includes cutting off the miners’ supplies to force them back to the surface and arrest them.

Police had previously indicated that information received from those who recently helped bring three miners to the surface indicated that up to 4,000 miners could be underground.

However, on Thursday afternoon, police spokeswoman Athlenda Mathe said she believed the number was exaggerated and may be much lower than that, putting the figure at between 350 and 400 miners.

“We feel that the numbers are exaggerated. We have deployed maximum resources to this case, including our intelligence agent who is on the ground and has engaged with all interested parties.

“We were able to estimate the numbers between 350 and 400,” Mathe said.

South African police and defense ministers are expected to visit the mine on Thursday to talk with officials and community members on the ground, Mathe said.

Stilfontein is one of the mines that have been targeted by police, who have stepped up operations in the North West province since October 18.

It is unclear how long the current group of miners has been underground, as groups are reported to often stay underground for months, depending on supplies of basic needs such as food and water from outside.

“We have taken the decision that no police officer, no soldier or government official should go down into an abandoned mine. There is a high risk of loss of life,” she said.

Mathe said they have information that the miners may be heavily armed, adding that since the start of operations against illegal miners in December last year, police have seized more than 369 high caliber firearms, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 5 million of Rand ($275,000) in cash and Rough Diamonds worth 32 million Rand ($1.75 million).

Over the past few weeks, more than 1,000 miners have surfaced at various mines in the North-West province, with many reported to be emaciated, hungry and sick after going weeks without basic supplies.

Police continue to patrol the area around the mine on Thursday to catch anyone emerging from underground.

Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters on Wednesday that the government will not send any aid to the illegal miners because they are involved in a criminal act.

“We’re not sending help to criminals. We’re going to smoke them out. They’re going to get out. Criminals don’t need help. We didn’t send them there,” said Ntshavheni.

Illegal exploitation remains common in the old gold mining areas of South Africa, miners going into closed shafts to dig for any remaining deposits.

Illegal miners are often from neighboring countries, and police say the illegal operations involve larger syndicates that employ miners.

Their presence in closed mines has also created problems for nearby communities, which complain that illegal miners commit crimes ranging from robbery to rape.

Illegal mining groups are known to be heavily armed, and disputes between rival groups sometimes lead to fatal confrontations.