• At least 78 miners died while 246 were rescued from an illegal gold mine near Stilfontein, South Africa. The miners, many undocumented migrants from neighboring countries, were trapped underground for months after police cut off their food and water supplies in a controversial crackdown on illegal mining.
• Authorities removed a pulley system used to deliver supplies, leaving miners stranded in dangerous, flooded tunnels. Survivors, emaciated and barely able to walk, were arrested for illegal mining and immigration violations.
• A rescue mission began on Jan. 13, only after a court order compelled authorities to act. A private mining company used a metal cage to extract survivors and bodies, but community groups dispute claims that all miners have been accounted for.
• Authorities are pursuing James Neo Tshoaeli, an alleged illegal mining kingpin, while activists demand accountability for the miners’ deaths.
• The disaster highlights the need for reforms to protect vulnerable workers and address the underlying causes of illegal mining, rather than relying on harsh crackdowns.

In a harrowing tale of desperation and neglect, at least 78 miners have been confirmed dead while 246 survivors were rescued from an illegal gold mine near Stilfontein, southwest of Johannesburg.

The disaster has cast a grim spotlight on the perilous conditions faced by illegal miners in South Africa, as well as the controversial tactics employed by authorities to combat the practice.

The miners – many of whom were undocumented migrants from Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe – had been trapped underground for months. Police reportedly cut off their food and water supplies in an attempt to force them out, a move that has been widely condemned as inhumane.

Trade unions and civil rights groups have described the crackdown as “horrific” and accused the government of allowing the miners to “starve to death in the depths of the earth.”

The crisis began in August 2024 when police removed a pulley system used to deliver food and water to the miners, effectively trapping them without supplies in the labyrinthine tunnels of the abandoned Buffelsfontein Gold Mine.

The mine, which stretches 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) underground, is a maze of shafts and flooded tunnels. With the pulley’s removal, the miners were left to fend for themselves in the dark, damp depths.

Some attempted to escape by crawling through flooded passages, but many perished in the process. Survivors who emerged in recent days were emaciated, disoriented and barely able to walk.

Despite their dire condition, all 246 survivors were immediately arrested for illegal mining and immigration violations. (Related: COAL WAR: Biden locks up federal lands from coal mining, shuts down remaining coal-fired power generation fleet.)

The South African Federation of Trade Unions has lambasted the government for its handling of the situation, calling it “one of the most horrific displays of state willful negligence in recent history.”

The Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party in the ruling coalition, has called for an independent inquiry into the disaster, stating that the crackdown “got badly out of hand.”

A court-ordered rescue

The rescue operation, which began on Jan. 13, Monday, was only launched after a court order compelled authorities to act. A private mining rescue company deployed a cylindrical metal cage to extract survivors and bodies from the mine.

Each round trip took up to 45 minutes, with volunteers descending to assist the miners.

By Jan. 15, Wednesday, the rescuers reported that no more survivors or bodies remained in the tunnels. However, community groups have disputed this, claiming that more bodies may still be trapped in other shafts.

Only two of the 78 deceased miners have been identified and claimed by their families so far.

The human cost of illegal mining

Illegal mining, known locally as “zama zamas” (a Zulu term meaning “taking a chance”), is a widespread issue in South Africa.

The country is rich in gold, but many mines have been abandoned by commercial operators, leaving informal miners to scavenge for leftover deposits. These miners often work under the control of violent criminal syndicates, which exploit their labor and smuggle gold out of the country. The government estimates that illegal mining costs South Africa over $3 billion annually.

Mining Minister Gwede Mantashe has defended the crackdown, calling it a necessary measure to combat “an attack on our economy by foreign nationals in the main.”

However, critics argue that the government’s heavy-handed approach has only exacerbated the suffering of vulnerable workers.

Amid the fallout from the disaster, South African police have launched a manhunt for James Neo Tshoaeli, an alleged illegal mining kingpin believed to be behind much of the criminal activity in the Stilfontein area.

Tshoaeli, who has evaded capture for years, is accused of running a vast network of illegal miners and smuggling operations. Authorities have seized gold, explosives, firearms and over $2 million in cash from the miners, underscoring the lucrative nature of the illegal trade.

However, the pursuit of Tshoaeli and other syndicate leaders has done little to address the root causes of illegal mining: poverty, unemployment and the lack of viable alternatives for desperate workers.

Despite the scale of the tragedy, the disaster has not sparked widespread outrage across South Africa. Illegal mining is a frequent topic in the news, and many view the miners as criminals rather than victims. This perception has allowed the government to justify its harsh tactics, even as human rights groups condemn them.

Civil society activists, however, remain vocal in their criticism. Mzukisi Jam, a spokesperson for the South African National Civics Organisation, has demanded answers for the families of the deceased.

“What are we going to tell the relatives?” he asked, highlighting the lack of accountability and transparency in the government’s response.

The Stilfontein disaster is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by illegal miners and the systemic failures that perpetuate their exploitation. While the government has vowed to crack down on illegal mining, its approach has been criticized for prioritizing punitive measures over addressing the underlying issues.

Watch the video below to find out how artisanal mining for gold in Africa is destroying whole ecosystems.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include:

Reuters.com

APNews.com

BBC.com

Brighteon.com