(CLO) South African authorities have discovered 36 bodies and rescued 82 survivors from an abandoned gold mine near the town of Stilfontein, about 140 km from Johannesburg.
South African police said 82 people were arrested on charges of illegal mining, illegal entry and immigration violations. However, authorities have not yet determined exactly how many people are still trapped underground, with estimates running into the hundreds.
People mining gold. Illustration photo: AI
Most of the people working at the mine are immigrants from neighboring countries who dig into abandoned mine shafts to search for remnants of gold from what was once South Africa's mining industry.
Since the mine clearance operation began in August 2024, South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy says 1,576 people have left the mine. For months, authorities cut off food and water supplies from above to force them out. However, a court ruling in November forced the government to end that practice.
The rescue operation is still ongoing, with cages used to bring survivors and bodies to the surface from more than 2km underground. Police expect the process to take several more days.
Illegal mining is a serious problem in South Africa, especially in abandoned mines that are no longer viable for large-scale operations. Illegal miners often work in extremely dangerous conditions without any protection.
Minister of Mineral Resources Gwede Mantashe visited the scene on January 14 and stressed that the people directly mining the gold were not the main beneficiaries of this illegal activity.
“These miners are just tools. The gold they mine ends up in someone’s hands. And that person must be held accountable,” Mantashe said. “Those who profit from illegally mined gold must take full responsibility for the risks that miners face.”
According to the Minerals Council of South Africa, the country has some of the deepest gold mines in the world, many of which are kilometers underground. This is why illegal gold mining in abandoned mines is extremely dangerous, but still attracts many people despite the risks.
South African authorities are continuing to step up investigations to track down those behind the illegal gold mining and trafficking network, while strengthening safety measures at abandoned mines to prevent similar tragedies from recurring.
Hong Hanh (according to DW, Reuters, BBC)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nam-phi-giai-cuu-82-nguoi-song-sot-tim-thay-36-thi-the-trong-mo-vang-bo-hoang-post330472.html
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