South Africa’s Stilfontein mine: Six bodies pulled out as rescue continues

This story contains video that some people may find disturbing.

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 mine began collapsing 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.

Disturbing videos emerged on Monday showing the horrific situation in the abandoned gold mine.

In one of the films, which has not been independently confirmed by the BBC, corpses can be seen wrapped in makeshift body bags. Another shows the emaciated figures of some of the miners who are still alive.

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 General Industries Workers of South Africa (Giwusa) union, 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.