Criticism of authorities

Dozens of dead recovered from gold mine in South Africa

There have been protests in South Africa as the authorities temporarily cut off supplies to the illegal gold prospectors in order to force them to the surface.(Bild: APA/AFP/Christian Velcich)

A desperate fight for survival, harsh criticism of the authorities and millions in damage to South Africa's economy: the drama surrounding trapped illegal miners in the abandoned gold mine near Stilfontein in South Africa is coming to a head. So far, 78 bodies have been recovered from the two-kilometer-deep shaft.

The situation of the gold miners in a disused mine in South Africa is becoming increasingly dramatic. 78 bodies have been recovered so far, while 166 survivors have been rescued. However, they were immediately arrested for illegal mining.

Illegal mining in the sights of the authorities
No one has counted how many miners have gone underground. "We are concentrating on getting them and helping them to get out." The siege of the mine in Stilfontein, around 150 kilometers from Johannesburg, began back in August.

The aim is to combat illegal mining, which has been a thorn in the side of South Africa's precious metals industry for decades. This usually involves mines that have been abandoned by companies because they are no longer profitable on a large scale.

"Close the hole" campaign launched
Miners without a license take the opportunity to mine whatever is left. However, according to estimates by an industry association, the government and the sector are losing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in revenue, taxes and license fees as a result. This is why the "Close the Hole" campaign was launched. Mining Minister Gwede Mantashe declared that the siege of the mine in Stilfontein was necessary and that it was a "war against the economy".

Sharp criticism of the authorities' actions
However, local residents and human rights groups have voiced harsh criticism: the gold miners in the mine have had their food and water supplies cut off for months in order to force them to return to the surface. They are threatened with arrest for illegal mining, trespassing or violating immigration laws.

We will smoke them out.

Südafrikas Präsidialamtsministerin Khumbudzo Ntshavheni

In November, Presidential Affairs Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said criminals would not be sent help. "We will smoke them out." In December, however, a court allowed volunteers to send supplies to the trapped men. Last week, the state was then ordered by the court to initiate a rescue operation. It has been underway since the beginning of the week and is likely to continue for days.