Dozens of survivors and dead pulled from abandoned South African mine while hundreds remain underground

Months later South African authorities initially cut off supplies to miners working illegally in the abandoned gold mine, rescuers brought dozens of bodies and emaciated survivors to the surface on Tuesday, while hundreds are still believed to be underground, many of them dead and others too weak to would go out by themselves.

At least 60 bodies and 92 survivors have been pulled from one of South Africa’s deepest mines since Monday in a red cage lowered thousands of meters underground, police said. Police are not sure how many miners remain inside, but said it is likely to be in the hundreds. Nine more bodies were recovered Friday in a community-led rescue operation, according to a group representing the miners.

DEAD TOLL RAISES TO 13 IN SOUTH AFRICA MINING DISASTER

The mine has been the scene of tense clashes between police, miners and members of the local community since authorities launched an operation in November to force the miners to leave by temporarily cutting off food and water from the surface. At the time, a government minister said the aim was to “drive them out” and that the government would not send aid because they were “criminals”.

But the tactic has been heavily criticized by civic groups and the community, and the South African government is under scrutiny for its handling of the problem at the Buffelsfontein gold mine, where more than 100 miners are believed to have died underground of starvation or dehydration, according to a group that represents.

Authorities, who have removed the ropes and pulley system the miners used to climb in and lower the stockpile, say survivors can get out but are refusing for fear of arrest. This was contested by civil groups, who won a court case to force the authorities to allow food, water and medicine to be sent to the miners. But they say that the supplies are not enough and that many miners are dying of hunger and cannot climb because the shaft is too steep.

Residents desperate for news of family members gathered at the mine near the town of Stilfontein, southwest of Johannesburg, on Tuesday, some holding placards criticizing authorities for their response. One sign read that there had been a “sacrifice at Stilfontein”, while some handcuffed survivors were led to the barricade by the police.

The community organized its own rescue operation on Friday before authorities began official efforts on Monday. They say a proper rescue operation should have been launched months ago.

“We are happy that this operation is happening, although we believe that if it had been done earlier, we would not have had a single dead person,” said Mzukisi Jam, regional president of the South African National Civic Organisation, an umbrella group for civil and human rights groups.

The authorities have been struggling with informal mining for years

Illegal mining is common in parts of gold-rich South Africa where companies are closing mines that are no longer profitable, leaving groups of informal miners to illegally enter them in search of remaining deposits.

Large groups of miners often go underground for months at a time to maximize their profits, carrying food, water, generators and other equipment with them, but also relying on others in their group on the surface to send more supplies.

Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe visited the site on Tuesday and said more than 1,500 miners who resurfaced from the Buffelsfontein mine had been arrested since authorities began a major crackdown on illegal mining in late 2023. He said the vast majority were foreign nationals from neighboring countries.

Police also doubled down on their claim that miners still underground are not coming out because they fear arrest.

Activists said the only way out for the miners is to make the perilous trek to another shaft, which can take days, and crawl out, but many are too weak or sick to get out. The mine is 2.5 kilometers (1.5 mi) deep with multiple shafts, many levels and a maze of tunnels. A group representing the miners said there are numerous groups in various parts of the mine.

“The last time I spoke to my brother was in July, when he told us he was going underground,” said Zinzi Tom, the sister of one from miners who remained underground. “We haven’t heard anything about him, but yesterday one of the miners who surfaced said he saw him about two weeks ago. He is said to be very ill and struggling to survive.”

Cell phone videos emerge from the underground

The group Mining Affected Communities United in Action, which took the authorities to court in December to force them to allow supplies to be sent to the miners, released two cellphone videos it said were from underground and showed dozens of dead miners’ bodies wrapped in plastic. A spokesman for the group said “at least” 100 miners were killed.

The cellphone videos are allegedly taken from deep inside the mine by a man who can be heard saying, “This is hunger. People are dying of hunger,” as he films thin-looking men sitting on the wet mine floor. He adds: “Please help us. Bring us food or take us out.”

The rescue operation will last 10 days and authorities will then reassess, said Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. Police also said survivors who were brought to the surface would be arrested and charged with illegal mining and trespassing after receiving medical attention.

Authorities made their approach clear when South African cabinet minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni told reporters in November that the government would not help the miners, whom they consider criminals.

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“We don’t send aid to criminals,” she said. “We’ll smoke them out. They’ll come out.”

She added: “Criminals are not helped. Criminals should be prosecuted.”