Rescue efforts at a disused mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, continued on Tuesday, with six more bodies retrieved, adding to the nine recovered on Monday. Eight miners were brought to the surface alive, raising the total number rescued to 34 since operations began.
The miners, known as “zama zamas,” have been trapped for months following a government crackdown on illegal mining. Hundreds remain underground, with grim videos surfacing showing emaciated miners pleading for help and bodies wrapped in makeshift shrouds.
The General Industries Workers of South Africa (Giwusa) has criticized authorities for a delayed response, calling the tragedy a “Stilfontein massacre.”
The rescue operation, led by the mineral resources department, uses a crane and cage system, retrieving miners hourly. Official death toll figures remain unverified. The crisis underscores the dangers faced by illegal miners in South Africa’s struggling mining sector.
