South Africa tried to pressure informal gold miners by cutting off food. Now it's pulling out bodies
Rescuers and volunteers have pulled at least 78 dead miners and more than 160 survivors from an abandoned South African gold mine, where they have languished for over two months during a standoff with authorities who demanded they surrender to police because they were mining illegally.
South Africa criticized for ‘horrific’ mining crackdown after 78 bodies pulled from underground
The clampdown on illegal mining cut off food and water to hundreds of miners underground. At least 78 bodies were pulled from a mining shaft this week, and more are believed to remain underground.
Next Africa: How the South African Mining Tragedy Unfolded
South African rescue workers retrieved 78 bodies from a disused gold mine in Stilfontein where hundreds of illegal extractors have been involved in a months-long standoff with the authorities. Civil rights groups said at least 100 people died from starvation after the mine was sealed off by the security forces to deny those underground access to food to force them to the surface.
Dozens of Dead Pulled From Illegal South African Gold Mine After Standoff With Authorities
The prospectors were trapped underground for months as police, on orders from South Africa’s government, attempted to starve them out.
A South African horror story: Illegal mining standoff draws to an end
In South Africa a months long standoff between police and illegal miners in an abandoned gold mine comes to end, with close to 80 found dead in grim recovery operation.
South African miner on 6-month ordeal underground and illicit gold industry
The tragedy at the abandoned gold mine near the town of Stilfontein began to unfold in August, when police cut off food supplies for a period of time to the miners working illegally in the mine's tunnels.
The rise of illegal gold mining in Africa
In South Africa, a months-long standoff between police and illegal gold miners has resulted in over 100 deaths. This surge in illegal gold mining has highlighted the growing dangers of the industry. Zinhle Essamuah traveled to West Africa to explore the forces driving the dark side of the gold rush.
The Perils Of S. Africa's Illegal Mining Sector
The derelict Stilfontein shaft, which became a hell hole for hundreds of trapped miners, is just one of 6,000 that have been abandoned by South Africa's gold extraction companies.
Death toll of South African illegal miners rises to 87
The death toll in a monthslong standoff between police and miners trapped while working illegally in an abandoned gold mine in South Africa has risen to at least 87, police said Thursday. Authorities faced growing anger and a possible investigation over their initial refusal to help the miners and instead "smoke them out" by cutting off their food supplies.
78 Bodies Recovered From South African Illegal Gold Mine As Police Face Backlash For ‘Horrific’ Blockade Strategy
Rescue workers retrieved at least 78 bodies from an illegal gold mine in South Africa, where police cut off food and water ...
Rescuers try to free men trapped in South African gold mine with scores reported dead
The South African government has launched a rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine in the country’s North West province, ...
Rescuers and volunteers pull more bodies of dead workers from abandoned gold mine in South Africa
Rescuers continued retrieving bodies Wednesday from an abandoned South African gold mine with hundreds more still believed to be underground, many of them dead and others too weak to come out on their ...
Pan African Resources: The Overlooked Jewel In Africa's Mining Crown
Pan African Resources has a strong track record in low-cost extraction and project management and is poised for growth. Learn ...