The South African government has initiated a rescue mission at an inactive gold mine in the North West province of the country, where a reported 109 individuals have lost their lives, as per a miner representative group. This action follows local authorities cutting off essential provisions in an effort to clamp down on illicit mining activities in the region. South African law enforcement disclosed that so far, they have recovered 51 bodies and rescued 106 survivors from the Stilfontein mine as of Wednesday, with fears that many more may still be trapped inside. While differing estimates exist regarding the number of individuals in the mine, Meshack Mbangula, the leader of Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA), had initially indicated that around 500 people were confined underground. Mbangula conveyed to CNN that the men likely perished due to starvation and lack of water. He added that the conditions in the mine shafts, which extend several kilometers deep, continue to degrade.
Video footage shared by Mbangula, and observed by CNN, depicts multiple bodies wrapped in plastic within the mine, situated approximately 97 miles (156 kilometers) southwest of Johannesburg. The footage, recorded by one of the miners the previous week according to Mbangula, also captures emaciated men with visible bones and ribs, pleading for rescue in distressing scenes. A man heard speaking in Zulu requests being saved in one segment, while another individual questions, “How much longer must we endure this situation?” CNN is unable to independently verify the authenticity of the videos.
In a letter penned by the miners and obtained by CNN, the dire circumstances faced by the miners are further illuminated. The miners implore for assistance to be brought out of the mine or provided with sustenance, highlighting the loss of 109 lives and the necessity for plastic to contain the odors emanating from the deceased. Community-based organizations like MACUA assert that they have been leading the efforts to aid the trapped miners for months, amidst allegations of police discontinuing food and essential supplies to the individuals in an attempt to compel their departure and seal the mine.
The police’s actions, described by themselves as a crackdown on illegal mining activities, have garnered criticism from community groups and South Africa’s Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU), with allegations of vindictiveness and warnings of potential tragic outcomes. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe informed the media in November that the supply of food and water to those underground had been cut off. Mathe stated, “We are halting the provision of food and water as a means to coerce these illegal miners to surface, as their actions are considered criminal.” Police indicated that miners would face legal repercussions upon emerging from the mine.
In response to mounting public pressure and reports of fatalities among the miners, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy declared on Sunday that plans were underway to launch a rescue operation at the deserted shaft. The department emphasized that the decision to deploy rescue services was made autonomously and was not due to a
Annually, violent turf wars are tied to the black market trade in gold, as highlighted in a recent parliamentary brief. Stay informed with the latest updates from CNN by signing up for an account on CNN.com.
