At least 100 dead in South Africa’s illegal mining tragedy

At least 100 illegal miners have died underground in an abandoned gold mine near Stilfontein, South Africa, while over 500 remain trapped in desperate conditions, according to the Mining Affected Communities United in Action Group (MACUA).

The miners, known locally as “zama zamas” or “hustlers,” have been stranded for months after a standoff with authorities. Police began an operation in November to force them out, removing ropes used to access the mine and cutting off food supplies. Sabelo Mnguni, a MACUA spokesman, said videos retrieved from the mine show bodies wrapped in plastic and emaciated miners pleading for help.

Mr Mnguni said a “minimum” of 100 men have died from starvation or dehydration.

Eighteen bodies have been recovered since Friday, with nine retrieved by community efforts and another nine during an official rescue operation on Monday, when 26 survivors were also brought to the surface.

The Buffelsfontein Gold Mine, one of the deepest in the country at 2.5 kilometers, was abandoned after becoming unprofitable, but informal miners continue to search for leftover deposits. MACUA criticized the police for their handling of the situation, saying the lack of support turned a crackdown into a humanitarian crisis.

Videos shared by MACUA depict harrowing scenes of miners appealing for help. In one, a man films bodies lying in tunnels and says, according to the AP,  “This is hunger. People are dying because of hunger. Bring us food or take us out.” A preliminary autopsy confirmed at least one death due to starvation.

Authorities claim the miners refuse to emerge for fear of arrest. However, Mnguni argued they were effectively imprisoned when police destroyed their pulley system. MACUA restored the mechanism earlier this month, enabling limited rescues.

Illegal mining is rampant in South Africa, where syndicates exploit desperate individuals, often former mine workers left jobless by closures. The South African Police Service and the Department of Mineral Resources said rescue operations are ongoing and delegations will visit the site to oversee efforts.

Police said this operation is part of a broader crackdown that has seen over 1,500 illegal miners arrested in North West province. Critics argue such efforts fail to address the systemic poverty driving miners underground.

“The miners return to the mines because they live in poverty,” said Mnguni. “These are not criminals; they are victims of circumstances.”

The South African government has come under fire for refusing to help the miners earlier.

Previously, cabinet minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said: “We are not sending help to criminals. We are going to smoke them out.

“They will come out. Criminals are not to be helped; criminals are to be prosecuted. We didn’t send them there.”