Dozens of Bodies Recovered from Illegal Gold Mine in South Africa

ZASouth Africa|

In Stilfontein, South Africa, authorities have recovered 60 bodies from a disused gold mine where illegal mining activities are rampant. A total of 166 individuals were rescued from the mine, with 106 survivors immediately arrested for illegal mining.

The situation in the mine, which plunges more than 2 kilometers underground, remains precarious, as the exact number of miners still trapped is unknown. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu stated that efforts are ongoing to rescue any remaining miners. The operation was initiated after local residents reported that many miners had perished in the shaft.

The South African government has been combating illegal mining, with operations beginning last August in an effort to mitigate the economic losses incurred from unregulated gold extraction. It is estimated that illegal mining costs the government hundreds of millions of dollars annually in revenue and taxes.

While the government emphasizes the need for these interventions, local residents and human rights groups have criticized the tactics used in the operation. Hunger and lack of water were previously employed to force miners to surface, but this approach was recently halted by a court ruling that allowed for voluntary aid to be delivered to those trapped inside.

The rescue operation continues with expectations that it will take several more days to complete.

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