Death and desperation in SA’s illegal gold mines
The national crackdown against illegal mining began in late 2023, in part spurred by the rise of violent crime in communities adjacent to mines taken over by heavily armed gangs who set up camp alongside them. In 2022, a group of eight women were raped in the town of Krugersdorp allegedly by illegal miners, sparking widespread outrage.
The rise of illegal gold mining in Africa
In South Africa, a months-long standoff between police and illegal gold miners has resulted in over 100 deaths. This surge in illegal gold mining has highlighted the growing dangers of the industry. Zinhle Essamuah traveled to West Africa to explore the forces driving the dark side of the gold rush.
More than 240 survivors have been brought to the surface, many severely emaciated after being trapped since November.
The prospectors were trapped underground for months as police, on orders from South Africa’s government, attempted to starve ...
Rescuers and volunteers have pulled at least 78 dead miners and more than 160 survivors from an abandoned South African gold ...
Why did 87 people die in South Africa? - The tragedy at the abandoned gold mine near Stilfontein began to unfold in August ...
The Buffelsfontein gold mine in South Africa has become a grim site with dozens of illegal miners dead and more trapped ...
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Residents desperately waiting for news of family members gathered at the mine, some holding placards criticizing authorities ...
South African authorities have ome under intense scrutiny for their response after civic groups said hundreds of miners have ...
More than 100 are believed to have died of starvation or dehydration. Police said that at least 24 bodies and 37 survivors ...
Hundreds are still trapped at the Stilfontein gold mine, a rights group said. Authorities tried to flush out the miners by ...
The mine has been the scene of a tense standoff between police and miners since authorities launched an operation to force ...
To date, more than 1500 individuals involved in illegal mining have surfaced and been apprehended at the Buffelsfontein Gold ...
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A group representing informal miners in South Africa says at least 100 men who were mining illegally in an abandoned gold ...
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