STILFONTEIN, South Africa — Over 78 deceased miners and more than 160 survivors have been recovered from an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, where they had been trapped for over two months. This situation arose amid a stand-off with authorities who insisted on the miners surrendering due to illegal operations. Reports suggest that hundreds more may still be trapped as of Wednesday, which has fueled criticism towards the South African government’s approach that involved cutting off food and essential supplies in an attempt to force them out. Civic organizations have asserted that officials also removed essential equipment like ropes and pulleys that miners relied on to access the mine’s depths and retrieve provisions.
Critics contend that the government’s delay in facilitating a rescue left many miners vulnerable to starvation and dehydration. Following a court order, rescue operations are currently underway, but the process is painstakingly slow, with only a handful of miners being extracted at a time. Rescue efforts could extend over the next 10 days.
South African officials maintain that the miners had the option to exit through another shaft of the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine, which is among the deepest in the nation known for its rich mineral resources. However, advocates for the miners argue that this alternative route is fraught with danger and could require days of treacherous navigation underground. Many miners have reportedly succumbed to weakness and illness due to prolonged confinement without adequate provisions. Additionally, police have indicated that some miners resisted leaving the site voluntarily.
Authorities were ordered by a court last week to initiate a rescue operation, which commenced on Monday. A specialized mining rescue team has been using a small cage to lower thousands of meters into the mine to retrieve individuals. However, due to safety concerns, no personnel from the rescue team have entered the shaft. Instead, members of the local community have ventured into the cage to assist.
The plight of the miners began last November when police attempted to expel them from the mine close to Stilfontein by cutting off their supplies. This marked the beginning of a standoff involving local authorities, the miners, and community members. After a court mandated that supplies should be allowed into the site, community groups claimed that the situation was already dire, as miners were unable to obtain sufficient food and water, even without interference from the authorities.
The mine extends to a depth of 2.5 kilometers (around 1.5 miles) with a labyrinth of tunnels and multiple shafts. Representatives for the miners believe that there were as many as 500 individuals underground when rescue efforts began. The duration of their confinement is uncertain, though family members have reported that some have been trapped since July.
As of Wednesday, police have confirmed that they have recovered 78 bodies and rescued 166 individuals since the official rescue efforts commenced. Community sources indicated that an additional nine bodies were found over the weekend, with more casualties potentially undiscovered in the weeks prior as local individuals tried to render assistance to the miners.
The slow progress of the rescue operation is attributed to the limited space in the cage and the considerable depth of the mine. While authorities maintain that miners had the chance to exit and state that over 1,000 did so before the rescue initiatives, many remained due to fears of arrest. Police have thus far arrested those who surfaced both during and after the rescue effort, charging them with illegal mining and trespassing. Furthermore, significant amounts of gold, explosives, and firearms, along with over $2 million in cash, were confiscated from the miners.
In the wake of these events, a civic organization has released two videos showing the grim conditions faced by the miners underground. Allegedly captured by one of the miners, the recordings depict a dark cavern with numerous bodies wrapped in plastic, along with footage of severely malnourished miners pleading for sustenance and assistance from authorities.
Authorities have faced severe criticism for their tactics employed last year, particularly the decision to cut off necessary supplies in an effort to “smoke them out,” as one government official described it, deeming the miners as criminals. Human rights organizations have condemned this approach, alleging it contributed to a catastrophic outcome at the mine, sparking protests from community members who are expressing their anger towards the government.
Despite rising local tensions, the broader South African public response has been muted. Illegal mining commonly occurs in abandoned mines no longer seen as profitable, leading individuals to seek leftover resources. The nation has approximately 6,000 abandoned mines, and illegal operations, colloquially referred to as “zama zamas” – meaning “hustlers” in Zulu – have been problematic for the government, which claims that these miners are often armed and connected to criminal syndicates. Additionally, many of these individuals are said to have crossed borders illegally from neighboring countries, draining an estimated $1 billion annually from South Africa’s gold reserves. In the past year alone, more than 1,500 individuals have been arrested for illegal mining activities in the Stilfontein area, with most of them hailing from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho.
