South African Rescue Efforts Conclude After 78 Deaths at Illegal Gold Mine
Efforts to rescue miners from an illegal gold mine near Stilfontein, southwest of Johannesburg, ended on Thursday. At least 78 miners died during a months-long police siege that local labor groups have condemned as a humanitarian crisis.
The police had encircled the mine since August, cutting off food and water in an attempt to force the miners out for arrest. The GIWASU labor union described the incident as “the worst state-sponsored massacre since the end of apartheid.”
Since Monday, rescuers used a cylindrical metal cage to retrieve 78 bodies and 246 survivors, many of whom were emaciated and disoriented.
The survivors, primarily from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho, have been charged with illegal immigration, trespassing, illegal mining, and other offenses.
The police defended their actions, stating that supplying food and water during the siege would have “allowed criminality to thrive.” Critics, however, have accused authorities of exacerbating the crisis through inaction and dehumanizing the miners.
Mzwandile Mkwayi, 36, a volunteer from the nearby township of Khuma, described the harrowing experience of descending into the mine to retrieve bodies and survivors.
“I was scared. Those people were so happy to see us,” Mkwayi said. “We told them, ‘We are here to help you, please don’t die.’” He recounted the trauma of handling the bodies, saying, “It was my first time seeing a pile of dead. It will traumatize me for the rest of my life.”
Despite the risk, Mkwayi said he volunteered because the miners were part of the community. “Those people are our brothers. We’re living with them,” he said.
On Thursday morning, a camera-equipped cage was sent down the mine shaft for one final search. Police confirmed the mine appeared empty after volunteers reported no signs of life during a descent the previous evening. The cage was later removed, marking the end of the operation.
Mannas Fourie, CEO of a rescue company involved in the effort, acknowledged the possibility that some bodies may remain undiscovered in the labyrinth of tunnels. “If somebody got lost, you will never know whether somebody got left behind,” he said.
Illegal mining costs South Africa over $3 billion annually, according to the mining minister. Many undocumented miners, often under the control of violent gangs, operate in abandoned commercial mines. Authorities described the Stilfontein miners as criminals, with one official vowing to “smoke them out.”
Community leaders and labor unions have condemned the government’s actions. GIWASU accused authorities of “dehumanizing and criminalizing poor, desperate miners.” Thembile Botman, a community leader in Khuma, expressed outrage, saying, “The minister said they were going to smoke them out, and they did. Congratulations,” his words heavy with bitterness.
Throughout the rescue, police and contractors relied on local volunteers to descend into the mine. Police did not explain why their personnel did not go underground, but Fourie suggested that volunteers were better suited as they could gain the miners’ trust.
During the siege, police removed a pulley system the miners had used for entry and exit, prompting allegations that the miners were left with no way to escape. The pulley system was reportedly restored and removed multiple times during negotiations and legal disputes.
Police have denied blocking the miners’ exit, claiming that over 1,500 miners left the site independently between August and the start of the rescue operation. However, community members and advocates maintain that earlier intervention could have prevented the tragic loss of life.
The Stilfontein incident has highlighted the perilous conditions faced by undocumented miners and raised questions about the government’s handling of illegal mining.
The tragedy underscores the need for a more humane and effective approach to addressing the challenges posed by illegal mining and abandoned mines in South Africa.
