Trapped illegal miners are innocent until proven guilty, says SAHRC

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said it was aware of reports that the South African Police Services (SAPS) had restricted essential supplies—such as food, water, and medication to the trapped illegal miners in an effort to pressure them to resurface.The illegal miners, said to be in their thousands, have been stuck deep in the shafts of disused mines in Stilfontein, North West for nearly three months after the area was flooded with police as part of Operation Vala Umgodi – a government blitz against illegal mining.Operation Vala Umgodi has restricted people from the…