60 Bodies Retrieved from Illegal South African Mine as Rescue Efforts Continue
By Okafor Joseph Afam
January 15, 2025
At least 60 bodies have been recovered from a shaft in a closed gold mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, as authorities intensify rescue and apprehension efforts for illegal miners trapped over 2 km underground.
The mine, located approximately 150 km from Johannesburg, has been the focus of a government operation dubbed “Close the Hole” since August 2024. This crackdown aims to curb illegal mining activities by cutting off food and water supplies to force miners to emerge.
As of Tuesday, police confirmed 51 bodies had been retrieved, adding to the nine recovered the previous day. An additional 106 survivors were arrested during the operation, in addition to 26 detained earlier.
“We don’t know exactly how many people are remaining there,” Police Minister Senzo Mchunu told broadcaster eNCA. “We are focusing on getting them, assisting them out.”
Efforts to extract the remaining victims and miners are expected to continue for days. “When each one of the miners who are underground went there, no one was counting,” Mchunu added, highlighting the challenges in estimating the number of those still trapped.
Illegal mining, often conducted in abandoned shafts, has long plagued South Africa’s precious metals industry, resulting in significant revenue losses for the government and mining companies. Mining Minister Gwede Mantashe has condemned the practice, describing it as “a war on the economy.”
The Stilfontein crackdown has drawn criticism from local communities and human rights groups, with some describing the government’s approach as excessively harsh. “While illegal mining is a problem, the prolonged siege and the suffering it caused should not be ignored,” a local activist said.
The incident underscores the growing tension between economic interests, law enforcement, and the desperate circumstances driving many to illegal mining. As rescue operations continue, the tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of South Africa’s illegal mining crisis.
