Authorities face possible investigation into their initial refusal to help miners and instead 'smoke them out' by cutting off food supplies

South Africa's president is facing calls to order an inquiry into a police operation that was meant to combat illegal mining but ended up leaving 87 miners to die underground as authorities attempted to force them to surrender during a monthslong standoff.

Arguing that the miners had entered the mine without permission, authorities reportedly cracked down by cutting off their access to food and water.