South Africa’s Stilfontein Mine: Dead Bodies Visible in Videos from Abandoned Shaft

Last year, claiming that the miners entered the Stilfontein shaft deliberately without permission, the authorities took a hard line, blocking food and water supplies.

In November, a government minister said: “We will smoke them out.”

More than 100 illegal miners, known locally as “zama zamas”, have reportedly died underground since the collapse began at the mine some 145 km (90 miles) southwest of Johannesburg.

The authorities, however, have not confirmed this figure as it has yet to be “verified by an official source”, a spokesman told the BBC.

Hundreds are thought to still be in the mine, while more than 1,000 have surfaced in the past few months.

In one of the videos released by the union, General Industries Workers of South Africa (Giwusa), dozens of shirtless men can be seen sitting on a dirty floor. Their faces are blurred. Off camera, a male voice is heard saying that the men are hungry and need help.

“We’re starting to show you the bodies of those who died underground,” he says.

“And this is not all… Do you see how people are struggling? Please, we need help.”

In another video, a man says: “This is hunger; people are dying of hunger.” He then states that the death toll is 96 and pleads for help, food and supplies.

The union says the video was taken on Saturday.