There is a group of miners known as Zama Zamas believed to be working in an abandoned mine shaft located in Stilfontein within the North West Province in South Africa.
Initial reports indicated a presence of up to 4 000 miners, however authorities suggest this figure may have been overstated and the actual number could be closer to somewhere between 350 and 400 individuals.
The government of South Africa has made it clear that they will not offer any support to miners as part of their operation.
Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni referred to the illegal miners as "criminals" emphasizing that assistance will not be provided to individuals involved in activities such as mining without permits or authorization.
This initiative involves restricting supplies, like food and water to compel the miners to come above ground where they can be apprehended by law enforcement authorities.
Local residents are actively participating in the rescue operations for the trapped miners by volunteering to go and provide assistance firsthand.
However the authorities mentioned that they won't be entering the mine as it poses safety risks.
In the recent weeks alone authorities have detained and taken into custody more than 1 000 miners who have emerged showing signs of frailty and ill health caused by insufficient nourishment.
There has been a lot of discussion and disagreement about how the government's handling the situation.
The miners are viewed differently by some people in the community and leaders, Some believe they should be treated with compassion despite their illegal status while others back the governments stand against illegal mining practices.
Discussions about legality and human rights arose due to the operations outcomes, some argue for a different approach in handling the situation.
Police are still keeping a watch above ground to apprehend any miners coming out.
This situation highlights the problem of illegal mining in South Africa, individuals from nearby nations frequently enter sealed mines to extract remaining minerals which gives rise to intricate legal issues as well as concerns related to security and human welfare