The number of illegal miners who have died during a months-long standoff with South African authorities has risen to 51, according to the country’s security forces. The final phase of an operation to extract miners from a disused gold mine in Stilfontein, located 156 kilometers (97 miles) southwest of Johannesburg, is currently underway. Since the rescue mission began in October, more than 100 people have been pulled from the mine, according to a statement from the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure. Illegal mining in South Africa continues to pose significant challenges.
Civil rights groups report that at least 100 people have died from starvation since authorities sealed off the mine in an attempt to force the illegal miners, known locally as zama zamas, to resurface by denying them access to food. While more than 1,500 miners have emerged and been detained, many more are believed to still be underground. The issue of illegal mining in South Africa is a pressing concern.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu acknowledged that there is still “quite a substantial number” of illegal miners trapped, although the exact number remains unknown. “We are focusing on assisting them out,” he said in an interview with Johannesburg-based broadcaster eNCA.
South Africa, rich in valuable minerals like platinum and manganese, loses billions of dollars annually to illegal gold mining. The country is dotted with about 6,000 abandoned mines, many of which have been taken over by informal miners. Mines Minister Gwede Mantashe, during a visit to Stilfontein, emphasized the government’s stance on illegal mining in South Africa, saying, “It’s a war on the economy.” Mantashe has resisted calls to formalize informal mining operations, arguing that illegal miners do not add value to the economy.
The problem also has international dimensions. Of the 1,576 miners who resurfaced and were arrested before the official rescue operation began, only 21 were South African nationals, highlighting the influx of foreign nationals drawn to the country’s abandoned mines and contributing to the issue of illegal mining in South Africa.
