Misplaced Pages

Stilfontein mine deaths

Article snapshot taken from[REDACTED] with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Siege and mine deaths in South Africa in 2024

Stilfontein mine deaths
LocationStilfontein, North West Province, South Africa
Deaths78-100 reported

Beginning in August 2024, a siege, conducted by South African authorities, occurred at a closed gold mine in Stilfontein. The siege has resulted in the deaths of at least 78 illegal miners.

Siege

The Stilfontein gold mine in North West Province was once a major gold producer but ceased operations in 2013. Since its closure, it has been a site for illicit mining activity, with zama zamas attempting to extract remaining gold deposits in the abandoned shafts. South African authorities began a siege of the mine in August 2024, cutting off food, water and medicine supplies, in an attempt to force illegal miners to come to the surface and be arrested. The blocking of key shaft exits trapped miners underground, with reports suggesting that many were unable to resurface, fearing arrest or retribution from armed underground gangs who control mining operations.

Deaths and rescue operation

On 13 January 2025, months after the siege began, South African authorities, led by the Department of Mineral Resources, began a court-ordered rescue operation in the mine. A metal cage and lift system was used to recover survivors and deceased miners from a shaft more than 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) underground. The South African National Civics Organisation sent volunteers down the shaft to accompany the rescue teams, and to advocate for the rights of the illegal miners.

Miners, both alive and deceased, were recovered from the mine. Many of the miners emerging alive were emaciated, with tattered clothes and no footwear. More than 1000 miners have surfaced since the siege began.

Seventy-eight bodies were retrieved, though there were also reports of 87 dead or that more than 100 miners may have died. On 16 January, it was reported that no-one else remained in the mine, and all survivors had been rescued.

Police faced anger and a possible investigation for using tactics such as cutting off the miners' food supplies.

References

  1. ^ "South Africa accused of 'horrific' crackdown as 78 corpses pulled from illegal mine". Reuters. 15 January 2025. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  2. ^ "Standoff in South Africa ends with 87 miners dead and anger over police's 'smoke them out' tactics". CTV News. 16 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  3. ^ "South Africa's Stilfontein mine: Relatives wait for news as body bags hauled from shaft". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  4. "South Africa's police minister promises to clamp down on illegal mining". Al Jazeera. 29 November 2024.
  5. "Trapped below: South Africa's illegal mining crisis". The Africa Report. 2 December 2024.
  6. "South Africa police vow to arrest illegal miners at Stilfontein". BBC. 17 November 2024.
  7. Bartlett, Kate (23 November 2024). "South Africa's illegal gold miners are locked in an underground standoff with police". NPR.
  8. ^ "South Africa's Stilfontein mine: Dead bodies seen in videos from disused shaft". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  9. "Operation under way to rescue trapped miners from South African gold mine". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  10. "No more miners trapped at Stilfontein mine in South Africa, rescue volunteers say". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
Categories:
Stilfontein mine deaths Add topic