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Rescue Efforts Continue as Six More Bodies Recovered from South African Mine

Rescue operations have recovered six more bodies from the Stilfontein mine as dozens of illegal miners remain trapped underground.

Six additional bodies have been recovered from a disused mine in South Africa, as rescue operations enter their second day to save an estimated dozens of illegal miners still trapped approximately 2km (1.2 miles) underground, according to Sanco, a national coalition of non-governmental organisations.

This follows the survival of eight individuals who emerged on Tuesday, adding to the 26 miners rescued on Monday. Those saved were lifted to safety in a cage operated by a crane at the surface. Tragically, nine bodies were also retrieved on Monday.  

The miners have been trapped since a police crackdown on illegal mining began nationwide last year. Last week, a court mandated the government to facilitate the delayed rescue operation, ending months of inaction.  

Authorities had previously adopted a strict approach, denying food and water to miners they claimed had entered the Stilfontein shaft unlawfully. In November, a government minister remarked, “We are going to smoke them out.”  

Speaking during the ongoing rescue efforts on Tuesday, South Africa’s mining minister, Gwede Mantashe, declared illegal mining a war on the economy, emphasising the need to escalate the fight against it.  

Reports suggest that over 100 illegal miners, locally known as “zama zamas,” have perished underground since the government crackdown began at the site, located 145km (90 miles) southwest of Johannesburg. However, these figures remain unverified, according to government sources.  

On Tuesday, the BBC observed dozens of severely malnourished miners, dressed in tattered clothes and barefoot, being attended to by medical teams outside the mine. Distressing video footage has also emerged, showing the grim conditions underground.  

In one unverified video, makeshift body bags containing corpses are seen. Another depicts emaciated miners still alive, their plight underscored by pleas for food and aid. A voice in one video states, “This is hunger; people are dying because of hunger,” estimating the death toll at 96.  

The footage, reportedly filmed on Saturday and shared by the General Industries Workers of South Africa (Giwusa), highlights the appalling conditions.

The rescue operation, led by the Department of Mineral Resources, involves deploying a cage capable of lifting six to seven individuals at a time, depending on their weight. According to Giwusa, the cage is lowered into the shaft hourly.  

Frances Ibiefo

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