Bodies of illegal miners recovered from Buffelsfontein mine

This aerial view shows an open mine shaft in Stilfontein on November 17, 2024. Hundreds of clandestine miners at a disused South African shaft are struggling to survive in grim conditions because of a police operation to force them out, one of the men who escaped told AFP on November 17, 2024. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

NINE bodies were among illegal miners retrieved from the Buffelsfontein gold mine in Stilfontein following rescue operations which started on Monday.

Hundreds of illegal miners are said to be hiding underground since November last year when the South African Police Service launched a raid aimed at ridding the North West province of its zama-zamas.

At the time, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called for people to be unharmed but according to a report in BusinessLive on Tuesday, citing Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, corpses were removed from the scene, along with 35 illegal miners.

“All illegal miners are processed to determine their nationality and their immigration status and once that is done they are detained in police cells,” she said. “Of the 35, nine corpses were recovered in today’s [Monday] operation and pathology services have removed them from the scene.”

The police were investigating allegations that the food sent down was limited and kept from these illegal miners.

They were also investigating allegations of abuse and cases of assault after videos emerged from underground showing some illegal miners being beaten and tortured.

“The operation is expected to last for the next 10 to 16 days,” said Brigadier Mathe, adding that to date, more than 1,500 people involved in illegal mining had surfaced and been apprehended. “SAPS remains resolute in its commitment to uphold law and order and urges all remaining illegal miners to adhere to police calls to surface.”

On Monday, Minister of mineral & petroleum resources, Gwede Mantashe, warned NGO Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) not to overlook the criminal aspects of illegal mining while prioritising the rescue of miners underground.

“One of the things that surprises me in South Africa is when South Africans place human rights at the centre of criminal activities,” Mantashe told Newzroom Afrika in a report by BusinessLive. “That worries me, because it suggests that we are preaching tolerance for criminality,” he said.

“Macua should be careful not to promote criminality and to say we must protect criminality against justice and fairness.”