Central SA
Stilfontein rescue operations retrieve 35 illegal miners, nine bodies─── ZENANDE MPAME 11:31 Tue, 14 Jan 2025
Rescue operations of illegal miners in Stilfontein have commenced and 35 illegal miners have been brought to the surface with nine bodies.
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy began efforts on Monday (13/1) to extract the approximately 550 remaining illegal miners underground at the Buffelsfontein gold mine outside Stilfontein.
The site was cleared over the weekend, and a 45-tonne mobile rescue winder crane that can reach a depth of 3000 meters underground arrived at the site.
“It is unfortunate that of the 35, nine corpses were recovered in today’s operation and pathology services have removed them from the scene,” said national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe.
Police are on the site ready to process illegal miners being brought up. Photo: SAPS
“Once the miners are extracted they are searched for any illegal items such as gold and illegal firearms. After that, they are examined by paramedics on the site and those needing further medical care will be taken to a health facility.
The High Court ruled on Friday (10/1) that the government must help rescue illegal miners in Stilfontein, after an urgent plea was made by the sister of one of the miners.
The rescue machinery involves a hoist that can lower a cage into the mine shaft. The cage can hold six or seven people, depending on the size and weight of the miners.
All illegal miners that are brought to the surface are processed to determine their nationality and their immigration status, and once that is done they are detained in police cells.
The rescue cage with illegal miners being brought to the surface. Photo: SAPS
“The police are investigating allegations that the food that was sent down, was allegedly limited and kept from these illegal miners as well as abuse and cases of assault,” said Mathe.
“The investigations stem from videos that emerged from underground showing some illegal miners being beaten and tortured.”
The Mine Rescue Services operations are anticipated to last for the next 10 to 16 days.
The bodies of deceased miners will be retrieved first, while food supplies, water and medication will be sent down at intervals. Handwritten letters, sent to the surface by miners last week, claim there are 109 bodies underground.
