A group representing miners in South Africa said that at least 100 illegal miners who had been trapped underground in an abandoned mine for months by police trying to force them out have died from suspected dehydration and starvation.
The group claims that more than 500 other people are still trapped.
Sabelo Mnguni told The Associated Press, a spokesman of the Mining Affected Communities United in Action Group that a phone sent to the surface on Friday with rescued miners had two videos showing dozens of bodies wrapped in plastic.
Mnguni stated that “at least” 100 men died in the mine, in North West Province where the police launched the first operation to force out the miners in November. Mnguni stated that they were believed to have died from dehydration or starvation. Mnguni said that 18 bodies had been removed since Friday.
He said that nine of these bodies were found in a Friday community-led search. Mnguni reported that nine more bodies were found in an official rescue effort by the authorities on Monday.
Brig. Sebata Mkgwabone stated that they are still verifying the information about how many bodies have been recovered, and how many survivors were brought out since starting a new operation on Monday. The authorities now hope to rescue all the miners, they said.
Illegal mining occurs in gold-rich South Africa when companies shut down mines that are no longer profitable and informal miners enter to find the remaining deposits.
Since authorities tried to seal the mine and get the miners outside two months ago, the mine near Stilfontein south of Johannesburg has become the site of a standoff. The police said that the miners refused to leave the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine out of fear of being arrested. However, Mnguni claimed they were trapped underground when the police removed the ropes used to enter and exit the mine.
The police also cut off food supplies to the miners to force them out. This action was strongly criticized by Mnguni’s organization, known as MACUA. MACUA won a December court case that ordered the police and provincial authorities to allow food, medicine, and water to be sent to the miners.
Last year, the South African government was also scrutinized for refusing to assist the miners.
The cellphone videos purportedly from the depths of the mine and released publicly by Mnguni’s group show dozens of what appear to be dead bodies wrapped in plastic lying in darkened tunnels. A man filming on the phone in one of the videos can be heard saying, “This is hunger. People are dying because of hunger” as he records emaciated-looking men sitting on the damp floor of the mine. He adds: “Please help us. Bring us food or take us out.”
Mnguni stated that there were more than 500 underground miners in various places of the mine. The mine is 2.5 km deep, has many levels, multiple shafts, and tunnels, and is a maze. Mnguni said that a preliminary report of an autopsy on a corpse previously removed from the mine revealed the man died of starvation.
Mnguni stated,, “We understand there are different underground groups of miners and each of them has miners who have been killed.” “We estimate that the death toll is high.”
The illegal mining industry is characterized by large groups that go underground to maximize profits. They take food, water, and generators with them. But they also depend on their fellow miners on the surface for more supplies.
Mnguni stated that the miners who previously made it out crawled through tunnels and risked their lives for up to 3-4 days to reach another shaft.
The police have stated that they do not know exactly how many illegal miners remain underground but say it is likely to be hundreds.
Police said they would be sending delegations of the ministries of police and mineral resources to the mine this Tuesday, “following the start of operations designed to ensure that all illegal miners resurface.” This operation was part of an even larger one which resulted in over 1,500 illegal miners surfacing and being arrested throughout the North West Province.
South African authorities have been trying to crack down on illegal mining groups, also known as “zama-zamas”, which is Zulu for “hustlers”. They are violent, often armed, and part of criminal gangs.
Mnguni, however, said that these miners were not criminals. They were former employees of mines who were laid off when the mines closed.
He said that the miners return to their mines because they are poor.
