Official statements from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy or Mine Rescue Services

Stilfontein Mine Rescue: 26 of 35 Miners Saved, 9 Bodies Recovered; Operation to Last 16 Days

Jan 14, 2025, 12:11 AM

A rescue operation has begun at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine in Stilfontein, North West Province, South Africa, to retrieve illegal miners trapped underground. The operation, which started on Monday, has already resulted in the rescue of 26 miners and the recovery of nine bodies from a total of 35 illegal miners involved. The miners have been trapped since a police operation in November aimed at forcing them out of the abandoned mine. The Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA) and community leaders are demanding government accountability for the deaths of over 100 illegal miners believed to have perished underground due to starvation and dehydration. The operation, expected to last for the next 16 days, involves Mine Rescue Services and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, which has allocated 12 million rand for the effort. To date, over 1,500 individuals involved in illegal mining have surfaced and been apprehended. Police and the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy are set to visit the site on Tuesday to oversee the ongoing recovery efforts.