At least 78 bodies taken from illegal mine where police blocked food and water supplies for months
Illegal miners rescued from an abandoned gold mine line up as rescuers and South African police record their details in Stilfontein, southwest of Johannesburg, on January 14th, 2025. Photograph: Christian Velcich/AFPmine where police blocked food and water supplies for months in what trade unions described as a “horrific” state crackdown on desperate people trying to eke out a living.
“Our mandate was to combat criminality and that is exactly what we’ve been doing,” said Athlenda Mathe, national spokesperson for the South African police, speaking at the site. “By providing food, water and necessities to these illegal miners it would be the police entertaining and allowing criminality to thrive.”Bradford works to shake off its ‘grooming gangs’ reputationThe death toll makes the crackdown on the Stilfontein mine one of the deadliest on miners in recent South African history.
All 166 of the survivors rescued so far were immediately arrested and charged with criminal offences including illegal immigration, trespass and illegal mining, police said. None were hospitalised and all were taken into police custody. Mannas Fourie, chief executive of a private rescue firm involved in the operation, said each round trip took up to 45 minutes. “Even the illegal miners that are at the bottom, they’re quite keen to get into the cage so we’re loading as many people as we can at one time and we bring them up to the surface,” he told Johannesburg’s Radio 702.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘Surrender or starve’: Siege outside South African gold mine taken over by criminal gangsStandoff has revealed the scale of criminal infiltration of the informal mining industry
Read more »
South Korea Faces Constitutional Crisis as Opposition Seeks to Impeach Acting PresidentSouth Korea's main opposition party has introduced a Bill to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo, escalating a constitutional crisis triggered by a brief declaration of martial law. The Democratic Party threatened impeachment if Han didn't immediately appoint three constitutional court justices, a move he has yet to take. The impeachment motion cites Han's veto of a special prosecutor bill investigating alleged wrongdoings by the first lady among other actions. The move could deepen divisions and potentially trigger a financial crisis, according to the ruling party.
Read more »
South Korea's Impeached President Faces Arrest WarrantSouth Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol faces an unprecedented arrest warrant for alleged insurrection, deepening the political crisis in the country.
Read more »
South Korea's Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol Faces Constitutional CrisisSouth Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been impeached and is facing a constitutional crisis. He has barricaded himself in his residence and his supporters are drawing parallels to the US political climate, hoping for support from Donald Trump.
Read more »
Rosanna Davison ditches Irish weather for North African sun on family Christmas holidayThe family, including Rosanna's husband Wes Quirke and their children Sophia, Oscar and Hugo, are enjoying some fun in the sun on the beautiful Moroccan beaches
Read more »
Irish Drivers to Embark on 2,000km African Road Trip for CharityThirty Irish drivers will undertake a challenging 2,000km road trip across Africa to deliver emergency vehicles and raise funds for Hospice Africa Uganda.
Read more »