Corpses of dozens of unlawful miners get taken out to surface in South Africa
Date
1/18/2025 7:35:49 AM
(MENAFN) A total of 66 illegal miners were rescued on Tuesday from shaft 11 in Stilfontein, North West, South Africa, during ongoing operations. National Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that the death toll has risen to 51. Since the operation resumed, 82 individuals have been arrested on charges of illegal mining, trespassing, and immigration violations, with two miners found with gold facing additional charges.
Earlier reports indicated that 35 miners had been rescued and nine confirmed dead on Monday. The rescue efforts followed the clearing of the site and the arrival of a crane to lift miners and bodies from the shaft. Once retrieved, miners are searched for illegal items such as gold and firearms, before being assessed by medical teams on site. Those in good health are detained, while others requiring medical attention are transferred to hospitals.
Authorities are investigating claims of abuse and starvation among the trapped miners, with footage emerging of miners being beaten underground and food allegedly withheld. The operation to extract the miners is expected to last up to 16 days.
Activists have criticized the government for its delayed response to the crisis, with the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa condemning the situation as a "massacre." The union’s president, Mametlwe Sebei, stated that videos showing piles of dead miners paint a grim picture of the operation’s deadly outcome.
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