The sister of one of the illegal miners trapped underground in Orkney, North West says the police better make sure that their family members don't starve to death. Over 500 illegal miners resurfaced yesterday after SANDF and SAPS members blocked communities in and around these abandoned mining shafts in Orkney from delivering food parcels, water and necessities to illegal miners. 

THEY BETTER NOT DIE 

The woman who only introduced herself as Thandeka told journalists that her brother had been underground for close to four months. She said, to them, it has become a norm that he goes underground and comes back after two months or so but this time, he's been gone for too long. "Usually, when he comes back, I always ask him what life is like underground, and he says they get food daily and can take his chronic medication daily. But he complains about the excessive heat. I'm concerned now because he has been in there for too long and with the police operation, we are not sure if he has food or if he is taking his medication daily," she said.

SAVE THEM

She added that she hopes that the police will make sure that everyone who is stuck underground survives and don't die of starvation and dehydration. "We know that there are illegal immigrants and miners down there but they are also humans, if they want to kill them with starvation, they might as well take concrete and fill the shafts whilst they are in there," she added. Thandeka also said that her mother is distraught and has been getting in and out of the hospital because of this situation. "My mother has a heart condition and hasn't been coping at all, my brother is a breadwinner and we depend on him. She keeps asking where her child is. It's okay if they arrest them when they resurface- we just need them alive."

North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said the zama zamas who were arrested over the weekend after resurfacing from the shaft in Orkney appeared in the Stilfontein Magistrate's Court today and their case was postponed until tomorrow. "We are also expecting more than 300 suspects to make first court appearance tomorrow," he said.