Over 100 illegal miners are believed to have died in an abandoned gold mine in South Africa’s North West province after being trapped underground for months, according to the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA).
Sabelo Mnguni, a MACUA spokesperson, told a Western media outlet that videos retrieved from a cellphone brought to the surface by rescued miners showed dozens of bodies wrapped in plastic underground. The miners are suspected to have died from starvation or dehydration after police blocked supplies to force them out. Since Friday, at least 18 bodies have been recovered.
The Buffelsfontein mine, located near the town of Stilfontein, became a grim symbol of the dangers of illegal mining. It was part of a police crackdown, Operation Vala Umgodi, launched in late 2023 to address illegal mining in the region. The blockade of supplies, which began last August, aimed to pressure miners out of the shafts, but reports suggest the men were unable to escape due to hazardous conditions and inaccessible routes.
Some survivors described harrowing conditions, including eating cockroaches, toothpaste, and even human remains to survive. Police officials, however, insist that some miners were hiding to avoid arrest, citing the emergence of others from nearby shafts.
The ongoing rescue operation, conducted by Mines Rescue Services, aims to bring survivors and deceased miners to the surface. Using a crane-winched cage, the operation is expected to take up to two weeks.
“It is unfortunate that there is loss of life […] No one should have been underground […],” police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe was quoted as saying.
He added that investigations are underway into the allegations of abuse and the withholding of supplies underground.