Months after finding workers at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, rescue workers pulled out 36 bodies and 82 survivors from the mine following a two-day operation, police said Tuesday.
“All 82 people arrested are facing charges of illegal mining, encroachment and violation of the Immigration Act,” police Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said in a statement.
Police are unsure how many miners remain inside the illegal mine, but said the number is likely in the hundreds. Many miners from neighboring countries entered the shaft near Stilfontein, about 140 kilometers (90 mi) south-west of Johannesburg, in the hope of finding traces of gold that used to be part of the South African mining industry.
According to the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, 1,576 people have left the mine since evacuation operations began in August. Authorities had cut off access to food and water from the surface for months to drive out the miners, but a court order in November ended such restrictions.
Rescue operations underway
Police said rescue operations involving the lowering of a metal cage into the mine to pull out people and bodies from more than 2 kilometers underground would continue for several days.
Illegal mining usually occurs in mines when companies abandon them because large-scale operations are no longer viable.
Some of the deepest mines in the world
Minerals Minister Gwede Mantashe visited the site on Tuesday and said it is not the miners who profit from the illegal gold trade.
He said, “These foot soldiers are taking this gold to someone. Someone has to take responsibility for it.” “Those who make money from gold mining must take full responsibility for the risks taken.”
According to the Minerals Council South Africa, South Africa has some of the deepest gold mines in the world, some of which extend several kilometers underground.
SMS/FTM (AP, AFP, Reuters)
