A critical rescue operation is underway at a disused gold mine in Stilfontein South Africa where illegal miners have been trapped underground for months following police crackdowns on illicit mining activities last year.
Recently released videos, which the BBC has not independently verified, reveal the severe conditions inside the mine. One video shows corpses in makeshift body bags, while another depicts emaciated surviving miners. A court-ordered rescue operation began Monday after significant delays.
The situation escalated last year when authorities took a hardline approach, blocking food and water supplies to the mine located 145km southwest of Johannesburg. One government minister stated in November: “We are going to smoke them out.”
Reports suggest over 100 of these illegal miners, known locally as “zama zamas,” have died underground since the crackdown began, though authorities have not officially confirmed this figure. While hundreds are believed to remain trapped, more than 1,000 have emerged over recent months.
Footage released by the General Industries Workers of South Africa (Giwusa) shows dozens of shirtless men sitting on a dirty floor, their faces blurred. In the video, a voice describes their desperate need for help and shows bodies of deceased miners. Another clip features a man reporting 96 deaths and pleading for food and supplies. The union states the footage was captured on Saturday.
During a Monday briefing near the rescue site, Giwusa leadership and community representatives condemned the situation. Union president Mametlwe Sebei termed it the “Stilfontein massacre,” criticizing what he called the authorities’ “treacherous policy.”
The ongoing rescue operation, led by the department of mineral resources, involves lowering a cage down the approximately 2km shaft hourly. The cage can accommodate six to seven people depending on weight. According to Giwusa, Monday’s efforts resulted in 26 miners being rescued alive and nine bodies retrieved.
Makhosonke Buthelezi, spokesperson for the department of mineral resources, could not confirm whether priority would be given to retrieving the deceased or those requiring medical attention. The department and police ministry plan to provide an operational update in a Tuesday briefing.
About the author
Deadly Myanmar Quake Kills 2700 Including 50 Preschool Children As Rescue Hopes Fade
Myanmar authorities observed a minute of silence Tuesday for victims of a devastating earthquake that claimed over 2,700 lives, including 50 children at a preschool near Mandalay. The commemoration occurred as aid organizations reported desperate conditions in affected areas, with survivors struggling to secure basic necessities like food, water, and shelter. Friday's magnitude 7.7 earthquake—Myanmar's strongest in over a century—struck at lunchtime, destroying both ancient pagodas and modern structures. Military leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing announced the death toll had reached 2,719, potentially exceeding 3,000, with 4,521 injured and 441 missing. The disaster also killed at least 20 people in neighboring Thailand. In Mandalay, sirens sounded at precisely 12:51 pm, marking the moment the earthquake struck. Rescue workers at the heavily damaged Sky Villa apartment complex lined up with hands clasped behind their backs to pay respects while officials […]
US Military Bombs Houthi Targets as Trump Warns Yemen Rebels Will Be Destroyed
The United States military conducted a series of air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen overnight, targeting multiple locations across the country. The bombing campaign hit areas near the capital Sanaa and throughout the northern province of Saada early Tuesday, continuing military operations that began in mid-March. According to Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV, US forces launched 15 raids on Saada province, including the city of Saada and the districts of Majz and Sahar. Reports indicated Mount Nabi Shuaib in the Bani Matar district of Sanaa province was also targeted. No immediate casualty reports emerged from Tuesday's strikes, though the Houthis claim that at least 61 people have been killed in Yemen since US bombardments intensified on March 15. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released two videos on social media showing fighter jets taking off and missiles being launched from an […]
8 Year Old Girl Kidnapped For Child Marriage Sparks Outrage Across Somalia
Outrage has erupted across Somalia after the discovery of an eight-year-old girl living with a self-proclaimed "husband" following her six-month disappearance. The child, who vanished from her home in Puntland last September, was initially reported missing by her family. Authorities later discovered that her father had allegedly consented to her marriage to an adult man identified as Sheikh Mahmoud. Security forces intervened last week, surrounding the man's residence and forcibly entering after he barricaded himself in a room with the child. The incident has triggered widespread social media anger and public demonstrations in Mogadishu. "What's more shocking than the tragedy itself are the allegations of abduction and the fact that her family had no knowledge of her whereabouts for months," said Fadumo Ahmed, chairperson of the Somali Women Vision Organisation. According to the girl's uncle, she was taken from Bosaso […]
Iceland Town Flees As New Monster Volcano Erupts Near Blue Lagoon
A volcano has erupted on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula in the southwest, forcing evacuations of the nearby town of Grindavík and the popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon spa. Iceland's Meteorological Office reported the eruption began around 09:45 local time (10:45 BST) just north of Grindavík. Within an hour, the ground fissure had widened to 700m (2296ft) and was continuing to expand. The volcanic activity followed earthquakes that struck the Sundhnúk crater range around 06:30 local time. Authorities had already ordered evacuations of Grindavík and Blue Lagoon before the eruption occurred. While roads to and from the town remain closed, flight operations have not been affected. The Blue Lagoon announced on its website that it would remain closed through Tuesday. By 11:20 local time, Iceland's Meteorological Office (IMO) reported that the original fissure had extended southward and a new crack had formed. […]
Deadly Mine Explosion Claims Five Lives After Suspected Methane Blast
A devastating explosion at a mine in Spain's northern Asturias region has killed five workers and injured four others, emergency services reported. The accident occurred Monday morning at the Cerredo mine in Degana, approximately 450km northwest of Madrid. All five victims, whose ages ranged from 32 to 54 years old, were from the neighboring Leon region. Adriana Lastra, central government representative in Asturias, told reporters at the scene that preliminary evidence suggests methane may have formed an explosive mixture in the mine, a dangerous phenomenon known as firedamp. "Police are already investigating what happened; they are already at the scene," Lastra stated. The injured miners were transported to hospitals in nearby cities, with two requiring helicopter evacuation. They suffered burns and, in one case, a head injury. As news of the tragedy spread, families of the workers gathered at the […]
Russian Diplomats Kicked Out After Helping Criminal Politician Escape Through Embassy
Moldova has expelled three Russian diplomats after accusing the embassy of helping a pro-Kremlin lawmaker escape imprisonment, triggering Russia's promise of an "appropriate response." Moldova's Foreign Ministry announced the expulsion Monday via Telegram, citing "clear evidence on the conduct of activities contrary to the diplomatic status." Moscow swiftly declared it would retaliate, according to state-run news agency RIA Novosti. The diplomatic tension escalated after Moldova accused the Russian Embassy of orchestrating pro-Kremlin Moldovan lawmaker Alexander Nesterovschii's escape to the Russian-backed breakaway Transnistria region just before he was to be jailed on illegal political funding charges. This incident represents the latest in a series of allegations by Moldova's pro-European government claiming Russian interference in its political affairs, which Moscow consistently denies. Moldova's security service released footage allegedly showing Nesterovschii entering the Russian Embassy in Chisinau on March 18, one day before […]
Related
Healthcare CEO ‘s Killer Luigi Mangione May Face Death Penalty
Attorney General Pamela Bondi on Tuesday directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City last year. Mangione was federally charged in December with stalking and murdering Thompson, who was shot in midtown Manhattan. State prosecutors also charged him with first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism. In her statement, Bondi described the directive as part of "President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again," calling the killing "a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America." She noted Thompson was "an innocent man and father of two young children." Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the attorney general's directive. Federal indictment proceedings are on hold while state prosecutors pursue […]
Investors Bet Big on European Resurgence: $11 Billion Flood into ETFs in ‘MEGA’ Trend
U.S. investors poured a record $10.6 billion into exchange-traded funds focused on European stocks in the first quarter, seven times the inflows recorded a year earlier, according to data from BlackRock. As U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and economic policies fuel uncertainty across markets, European equities have emerged as a bright spot. Tim Seymour, founder and chief investment officer of Seymour Asset Management, dubbed the burgeoning trend Make Europe Great Again, or MEGA. The resurgent interest in European ETFs reflects a sharp reversal in sentiment. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the funds had seen net outflows of $6.4 billion. "It's a really massive swing," said Kristy Akullian, head of iShares Investment Strategy at BlackRock. In three of the last five calendar years, investors steered money out of European ETFs that trade in U.S. markets and into domestic […]
Russia Drafts 160,000 Men in Largest Military Call-Up Since 2011 Amid Growing Tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the conscription of 160,000 men aged 18-30 in the country's most extensive military draft since 2011. The move is part of an ongoing expansion of Russia's armed forces, despite ongoing conflict in Ukraine and increased military tensions with NATO. The latest spring draft, running from April to July, surpasses the 2024 intake by 10,000 and aligns with Putin's goal of increasing Russia's overall military strength to nearly 2.39 million personnel. This includes raising the number of active servicemen to 1.5 million—an increase of 180,000 over three years. Vice Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky stated that the new conscripts would not be deployed to Ukraine. However, reports suggest that some have been killed in combat, particularly in Russia's border regions. In the early months of the full-scale war, conscripts were also sent to Ukraine despite official assurances […]
Deadly Myanmar Quake Kills 2700 Including 50 Preschool Children As Rescue Hopes Fade
Myanmar authorities observed a minute of silence Tuesday for victims of a devastating earthquake that claimed over 2,700 lives, including 50 children at a preschool near Mandalay. The commemoration occurred as aid organizations reported desperate conditions in affected areas, with survivors struggling to secure basic necessities like food, water, and shelter. Friday's magnitude 7.7 earthquake—Myanmar's strongest in over a century—struck at lunchtime, destroying both ancient pagodas and modern structures. Military leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing announced the death toll had reached 2,719, potentially exceeding 3,000, with 4,521 injured and 441 missing. The disaster also killed at least 20 people in neighboring Thailand. In Mandalay, sirens sounded at precisely 12:51 pm, marking the moment the earthquake struck. Rescue workers at the heavily damaged Sky Villa apartment complex lined up with hands clasped behind their backs to pay respects while officials […]
US Military Bombs Houthi Targets as Trump Warns Yemen Rebels Will Be Destroyed
The United States military conducted a series of air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen overnight, targeting multiple locations across the country. The bombing campaign hit areas near the capital Sanaa and throughout the northern province of Saada early Tuesday, continuing military operations that began in mid-March. According to Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV, US forces launched 15 raids on Saada province, including the city of Saada and the districts of Majz and Sahar. Reports indicated Mount Nabi Shuaib in the Bani Matar district of Sanaa province was also targeted. No immediate casualty reports emerged from Tuesday's strikes, though the Houthis claim that at least 61 people have been killed in Yemen since US bombardments intensified on March 15. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released two videos on social media showing fighter jets taking off and missiles being launched from an […]
8 Year Old Girl Kidnapped For Child Marriage Sparks Outrage Across Somalia
Outrage has erupted across Somalia after the discovery of an eight-year-old girl living with a self-proclaimed "husband" following her six-month disappearance. The child, who vanished from her home in Puntland last September, was initially reported missing by her family. Authorities later discovered that her father had allegedly consented to her marriage to an adult man identified as Sheikh Mahmoud. Security forces intervened last week, surrounding the man's residence and forcibly entering after he barricaded himself in a room with the child. The incident has triggered widespread social media anger and public demonstrations in Mogadishu. "What's more shocking than the tragedy itself are the allegations of abduction and the fact that her family had no knowledge of her whereabouts for months," said Fadumo Ahmed, chairperson of the Somali Women Vision Organisation. According to the girl's uncle, she was taken from Bosaso […]
Be the first to leave a comment