The South African government has initiated a mission to rescue potentially hundreds of miners trapped in an illegal mine, where their access to essential resources such as food, water, and medicine was obstructed last year in an attempt to drive them out.
The operation commenced on Friday following a court case filed by the sister of one of the miners underground. This legal action was prompted by letters received from miners who were brought to the surface on Thursday.
One of these letters alleges that at least 109 individuals have already lost their lives at the Buffelsfontein gold mine, situated near Stilfontein, approximately 100 miles southwest of Johannesburg.
In recent years, illegal mining has surged in South Africa as many industrial mines have been exhausted. Analysts estimate that around 30,000 “zama zama” miners are currently operating in abandoned mines, contributing up to 10% of the nation’s gold production.
