Rescuers in South Africa have saved more than 24 illegal miners and recovered at least 15 bodies from an abandoned gold mine near Stilfontein, 140 kilometers southwest of Johannesburg.
The operation, which began on Monday, January 13, continues as authorities work to reach more miners believed to be underground for months.
Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili of the South African Police Service confirmed the death toll at 24 since August, when efforts to remove illegal miners from the site began. “Police believe hundreds could still be underground, though the exact number is unclear,” he stated.
The rescued miners were in critical condition. “They are very sick, dehydrated, and near death,” said community leader Johannes Qankase. Several miners were rushed to the hospital, while two are reportedly in police custody.
The site has been fraught with controversy. In November, a court ordered authorities to stop blocking food and water deliveries to miners, which some claimed was an attempt to force them to surface. Videos shared by miners’ rights groups showed corpses wrapped in plastic underground.
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe revealed six bodies were recovered on Tuesday, in addition to nine removed earlier. Since November, seven more bodies have been retrieved from the mine.
The miners, locally called “zama zamas” (Zulu for “those who try”), often operate in abandoned shafts and face harsh conditions, including acute hunger and dehydration. Many are undocumented immigrants, some of whom were arrested upon surfacing.
The Minerals Council South Africa describes the country as home to some of the world’s deepest gold mines, extending several kilometers underground. Thousands of illegal miners reportedly exploit abandoned shafts, causing frustration for mining companies and raising tensions with local communities.
Government officials visited the mine on Tuesday as rescue and recovery efforts continued.
