The death toll among illegal miners trapped in a disused gold mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, has risen to 51, Bloomberg reports, citing security forces.
The authorities continue a months-long operation to force them out of the site.
The final phase of the operation, which began in October, is underway to remove an unknown number of people from the abandoned mine, located 97 miles southwest of Johannesburg. The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure stated that over 100 people have been extracted from the mine so far.
The operation has drawn significant criticism, with civil rights groups claiming that at least 100 people have died from starvation since October, when authorities sealed off the mine to deny miners access to food in an effort to force them to the surface. While over 1,500 miners have been detained after exiting the mine, it is believed that many more remain underground.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, in an interview with eNCA on Wednesday, acknowledged that there is still a “quite substantial number” of illegal miners underground, although the exact number is unknown.
South Africa, a major producer of platinum, manganese, and other metals, faces significant economic losses due to illegal gold mining. The government estimates that billions of dollars are lost annually to these activities. Across the country, there are an estimated 6,000 abandoned mines, many of which have been accessed by informal miners, locally known as “zama zamas.”
Mines Minister Gwede Mantashe has firmly opposed calls to formalize informal mining, stating that it is a detriment to the economy. During a visit to Stilfontein on Tuesday, he described it as “a war on the economy,” adding, “Until you show me something different about illegal mining, that they add value to the economy, I can’t change my approach.”
Many of South Africa’s abandoned mines, closed by companies due to lack of profitability, attract individuals from outside the country. Of the 1,576 people arrested after resurfacing from the Stilfontein mine prior to the current operation, only 21 were South African nationals, according to police.
