At least 87 people have died in a months-long standoff between police and miners trapped in an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, authorities confirmed Thursday. Police retrieved 78 bodies this week during a court-ordered rescue operation at the Buffelsfontein mine, while nine bodies were recovered earlier.
The miners, known as “zama zamas,” were working illegally and are believed to have died from starvation and dehydration after authorities cut off food and water supplies last year in an effort to “smoke them out.” The move, described by a prominent Cabinet minister, sparked fierce criticism from trade unions and community groups.
Police said 246 survivors, including 13 children, were pulled from the mine during the operation, which ended Wednesday. Survivors, many emaciated, were arrested on-site.
Critics, including South Africa’s second-largest political party, have called for an independent inquiry into the government’s handling of the crisis. “If the police had acted earlier, we would not be in this situation, with bodies piling up,” said local leader Johannes Qankase.
The Buffelsfontein mine, located near Stilfontein, southwest of Johannesburg, is one of South Africa’s deepest, with complex tunnels extending up to 2.5 kilometers underground. Police allege that nearly 2,000 miners were operating illegally in the mine since August 2023, extracting gold for criminal syndicates.
While police seized gold, firearms, explosives, and over $2 million in cash during the operation, the government’s hardline approach has drawn condemnation. The South African Federation of Trade Unions accused authorities of neglecting basic humanity.
Illegal mining, a persistent issue in South Africa, costs the country over $1 billion annually. However, critics argue that the handling of this disaster underscores a troubling disregard for human life, particularly among undocumented foreign nationals, who make up the majority of the miners.
