A harrowing account from a South African miner reveals the horrors faced by dozens of men who spent months underground in an abandoned mine. The air was thick with dampness, and wracking coughs echoed through the small caves where they were forced to reside. Bodies lay wrapped in fabric and twine, while others succumbed to starvation and illnesses.
The miners, mostly from poor households near disused mines, were lured by promises of $5,300 for working just a few weeks underground. However, when police cracked down on the illegal mining operation, food and supplies were cut off, leaving the men to starve and suffer.
“I felt like I had bad luck,” one miner said. “I was only underground for two weeks before things started going bad. We lost contact with the outside world, and we knew the police must have arrived.”
The months that followed were unbearable. People grew hungry, sick, and some died. The miner’s account describes seeing dead bodies, bones, and even skeletons as they attempted to exit the mine.
Activists blame the government for not acting earlier, while officials maintain that illegal mining is a criminal activity detrimental to the economy. However, authorities are now investigating the entire value chain of illegal mining.
In total, at least 87 confirmed deaths were reported, with dozens more pulled out from the mine alive. The incident has shed light on the widespread illicit mining trade, which has bled the South African economy of over $3 billion last year.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-illegal-mining-stilfontein-survivors-333574043256f70a9365000e40f07eaa