SOUTH Africa’s government is refusing to help a group of illegal miners occupying a closed mine who have been denied access to essential supplies as part of an official strategy to counter illegal mining.

The miners in the shaft at Stilfontein in north-west province are believed to lack food, water and other basic necessities after police closed off the entrances.

Police had said that up to 4,000 miners may be underground, citing people who recently helped bring three miners to the surface, but police spokeswoman Athlenda Mathe said on Thursday afternoon that the number was believed to be exaggerated, giving an estimate of between 350 and 400 miners.