A massive operation to rescue hundreds of illegal miners, known as zama zamas, from an abandoned mine shaft in Stilfontein, North West, is ongoing. To date, the bodies of seven illegal miners have been retrieved, according to provincial officials.
The operation, dubbed “Operation Vala Umgodi,” aims to bring the miners to safety after they were trapped in the abandoned Buffelsfontein mine. On Wednesday, 15 zama zamas managed to escape using Harmony Gold’s Margaret Shaft as an exit point. This brings the total number of miners who have resurfaced to 26.
Despite Harmony Gold not owning the mine, the company’s shafts have been used by the zama zamas as a means of escape. The rescue efforts have been complex, with the third and final step involving the construction of an unmanned cage to lift the remaining miners from underground yet to commence.
Provincial police spokesperson Seabata Mokgwabone confirmed that the operation is ongoing, with authorities working tirelessly to ensure the safe evacuation of the remaining miners.
