By Wednesday morning (4/12), two bodies had been retrieved, one of which was hoisted to the surface the previous afternoon.

Community volunteers lowered food to the illegal miners on Tuesday and received a letter informing them that a body would be coming up with the same rope. Letters written last week claimed that there were six bodies underground.

“We can confirm … so far two bodies have been retrieved from the mine, using ropes that were used to send food,” said North West police spokesperson Sabata Mokgwabone. “Police are on the scene … monitoring this process. As per the court order, they are not participating.”

Forensic pathology van arriving at Stilfontein. Photo: X

The Gauteng High Court ordered the unblocking of access to the mine shaft in Stilfontein to allow emergency personnel to reach illegal miners trapped underground.

Food parcels with instant porridge were lowered down into Shaft 11 on Monday (2/12) evening and on Tuesday (3/12) morning a thousand units of mageu and bottles of water were donated by the Mahlasedi Foundation and lowered down.

Victims of abduction

A team of more than 50 community volunteers from Stilfontein gathered to assist in sending food down to the illegal miners.

Investigations are ongoing to determine whether the minors (14 to 19) who resurfaced from the mine were victims of abduction or other criminal activities. “We are also verifying whether their families reported them as missing,” said Mokgwabone.

A record number of 1,113 zama zamas resurfaced in August alone. Photo: X

The boys have been charged with trespassing and contravening the Immigration Act.

“There are no human rights violations in the ongoing crackdown on illegal mining operations in South Africa, especially Stilfontein,” said Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu after a follow-up visit on Friday (29/11).

OFM News previously reported more than 2,000 illegal miners (so-called zama zamas) have emerged since the operation began, with a record 1,113 surfacing in August alone.

Many of the miners emerging from the shafts are foreign nationals. Twelve Mozambicans and nine Zimbabweans were identified among the group that resurfaced on Monday (2/11).

News 24  reports Pastor Jan Pretorius from Mahlasedi Foundation, who donated food parcels to the miners on Monday (2/12), said reports received from underground were that illegal miners have prioritised sending badly decomposed bodies to the surface. “The miners want to resurface and we are willing to volunteer and pull (the bodies) out before it is too late.”

OFM News/Zenande Mpame