South African rescue experts have arrived at the Stilfontein mine to start the operation to bring suspected illegal miners to the surface.

A rescue operation at the Stilfontein mine in South Africa has entered its second phase, with police confirming that the illegal miners are being counted and could potentially be brought to the surface on Monday, November 25.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have stated that the operation is taking place at Shaft 11 of the Stilfontein mine. Authorities have been working for weeks to evacuate the abandoned gold mine in the North West province as part of a broader effort to combat illegal mining, which has been a persistent issue in South Africa for many years.

On Wednesday, rescue experts from South Africa arrived at the Stilfontein mine to begin the process of retrieving the suspected illegal miners from below the surface.

In response to a court application seeking to prevent the police from arresting the miners, South African High Court Judge Brenda Neukircher ruled that the police were acting within their legal rights to make arrests. “The police cannot be prevented from doing their jobs. I don’t see anything in these papers that show that they are not conducting themselves in effecting these arrests lawfully,” Neukircher stated in her ruling.

The Society for the Protection of our Constitution had petitioned the court to allow the miners to emerge from underground without facing arrest, according to state broadcaster SABC.

While the operation is being conducted in stages, there are growing concerns among the miners' families and some labor unions that time is running out. Zwelinzima Vavi, General Secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions, expressed his concern: “Between Tuesday and today (Friday), no one has been rescued; no one has received any food, water, or medicine.”

Police had considered sending antiretroviral (ARV) medication to the miners after they received a note requesting it, but South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi raised concerns, emphasizing that ARV drugs should not be distributed without proper medical diagnosis.

The plight of the trapped illegal miners has captivated the nation. In a national address, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged that illegal mining activities pose a significant threat to “our economy, communities, and personal safety.” However, he also called for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing situation.