A grim rescue operation is underway at an abandoned gold mine near Stilfontein, some 140km southwest of Johannesburg, where reports suggest that hundreds of illegal miners may be trapped and potentially over 100 have perished, Al Jazeera reports.
Rescuers have begun hoisting survivors and bodies from the depths of the mine, revealing a scene of desperation and tragedy.
A specialized mine rescue team deployed a large cage into the mine shaft on Monday, successfully bringing up 26 survivors, along with at least four bodies, according to community leader Johannes Qankase. However, the scale of the disaster appears far greater.
Sabelo Mnguni, spokesperson for the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) group, revealed that a mobile phone recovered from earlier rescues contained video footage showing dozens of bodies wrapped in plastic deep within the mine. Based on the evidence, Mnguni believes “a minimum” of 100 miners have died, likely due to starvation and dehydration.
Initial rescue attempts on Friday by community members recovered nine bodies. Monday’s official operation brought the combined total of recovered bodies to at least 13, but authorities are still working to verify these figures amidst the ongoing rescue effort.
The crisis at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine has been unfolding since November, when police launched an operation to remove the illegal miners. The miners refused to leave, reportedly fearing arrest, while MACUA argues they became trapped after police removed ropes and a pulley system that they used to enter and exit the mine.
Authorities are now focused on extracting all remaining survivors. The rescue operation, led by a professional mine rescue company, is anticipated to be complex and prolonged, possibly taking up to 16 days due to the depth of the mine shaft, which reaches 1.8 miles below ground.
A court order secured by MACUA in December mandated that police and provincial authorities allow food, water, and medicine to be delivered to the trapped miners.
The tragedy highlights the pervasive issue of illegal mining in South Africa, where abandoned mines are often exploited by informal groups seeking leftover gold deposits. These miners, often referred to as “zama zamas” meaning “hustlers” in Zulu, typically operate in groups, remaining underground for extended periods to maximize their efforts.
While “zama zamas” are often associated with violence and criminal syndicates, MACUA argues that this particular group of trapped miners were former mine employees who turned to illegal mining out of desperation after losing their jobs when mines closed.
