South Africa conducts funerals for victims of gold mine tragedy

(MENAFN) South African authorities on Tuesday held pauper’s funerals for 30 unidentified bodies that were recovered in January from an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, located in the North West province.

According to Tshegofatso Mothibedi, spokesperson for the province’s Health Department, an additional 20 bodies are scheduled for burial at the end of June once all necessary administrative steps have been completed.

"We have also successfully handed 25 bodies to their loved ones and communities after they were positively linked and matched our DNA testing. We are anticipating that the remaining bodies will be buried at the last week of June following all the documentation that is outstanding, including death certificates from Home Affairs," Mothibedi told local media, noting that the funerals on Tuesday were held in Jouberton, Klerksdorp, and Kanana in Orkney.

The bodies were among 78 deceased illegal miners recovered during a government-led operation.

As of April, only 12 of the victims had been identified by their families.

Authorities also reported rescuing 246 survivors during the operation.

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