Skip to playerSkip to main contentSkip to footer
Bangkok Post Group
  • 1/19/2025
South African rescuers ended their attempts on Thursday to find anyone left in an illegal gold mine where at least 78 people died during a police siege. - REUTERS
Transcript
00:00South African rescuers ended their attempts on Thursday to find anyone left in an illegal
00:06gold mine near the town of Stelfontaine. At least 78 people died during a police siege
00:12there. Police had encircled the mine and cut off food and water supplies since August in
00:18an effort to force the miners out so they could be arrested.
00:22The Gibrousa Labour Union called it the worst state-sponsored massacre since the end of
00:27the apartheid.
00:28A rescue operation finally began on Monday after a court order. Patrick Asaneng is the
00:34acting police commissioner for the northwest province. He said on Wednesday that 246 people
00:40have been rescued.
00:41The two volunteers have since come to the surface and they have indicated to us that
00:49they have combed the surface, the underground, and according to them, they can confirm that
00:57there are no longer corpses or bodies underground.
01:01On Thursday morning, a cylindrical metal cage with a camera inside was sent down for the
01:06last time.
01:09The survivors have been arrested and charged with illegal immigration, trespass, illegal
01:14mining and other offences. Most of them are from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.
01:21The police have said they were enforcing a government crackdown on illegal mining and
01:26that to have allowed food and water down during the siege would have meant allowing
01:30criminality to thrive.
01:32Illegal mining cost South Africa over $3 billion last year, according to the mining minister.
01:39During the siege, police removed a pulley system the miners had previously been using
01:43to get in and out. Community leaders and lawyers have alleged there was no way for them to
01:48climb out. The pulley was later restored and removed several times during months of negotiations
01:53and legal action. According to civil society advocates and community members involved in
01:59supporting the miners, the police have denied blocking the miners' exit.

Recommended

0:49
Up next
South African police announce sudden end to gold mine rescue operation
teleSUR English
1/16/2025
1:03
South African rescuers pull corpses and survivors from gold mine
Bangkok Post Group
1/15/2025
1:32
Death toll from South African mine siege rises to 78, rescued now at 166
Guardian Nigeria
1/16/2025
3:39
South Africa: Police lay siege to illegal gold mine for third week
DW (English)
11/22/2024
0:47
Next Media: Trapped illegal miners rescued in South Africa
Malay Mail
5/28/2018
0:46
Rescuers pull survivors and dead out of mine with hundreds trapped in South Africa
teleSUR English
1/14/2025
0:55
South African military deployed to quell Cape Town gang crime
Agence France-Presse
7/19/2019
2:10
77-year-old American woman falls victim to African scam
The Star
8/14/2020
2:19
South Africans assess damage after flash floods
DW (English)
6/14/2025
1:58
Thousands pay tribute to fallen WA cop Anthony Woods
ABC NEWS (Australia)
7/7/2023
0:27
Chinese Coast Guard Ships Intrude into Pratas Island Waters
TaiwanPlus News
today
1:20
Robot artist Ai-Da unveils portrait of King Charles III at the United Nations
euronews (in English)
today
8:00
Can the EU establish common rules to limit sperm and egg donation?
euronews (in English)
today
8:00
Kazakhstan plans to boost Europe–China trade route. Here’s how
euronews (in English)
today
0:44
Lawmakers Slam Education Ministry, University Over Blood-Drawing Scandal
TaiwanPlus News
yesterday
0:30
Trump Launches Trade Investigation Into Drones, Drone Components
TaiwanPlus News
2 days ago
33:16
The Paleocedar project
Ciencia en Los Alerzales, Chile
5/11/2025
7:18
Installation of TOMST D1 point dendrometer
Ciencia en Los Alerzales, Chile
2/12/2023
2:13
This former Cuban doctor breeds flies for fish feed
Bangkok Post Group
3 days ago
2:01
Prehistoric paradise hiding just outside Chicago
Bangkok Post Group
3 days ago
1:26
EU to push for deal with U.S to avoid prohibitive tariff
Bangkok Post Group
3 days ago
0:12
Fast immigration lanes for Chinese students’ families at Thai airports
Bangkok Post Group
5 days ago
1:56
Trump intensifies trade war with 30% tariffs on EU and Mexico
Bangkok Post Group
5 days ago
0:34
Fire at Cairo telecoms center injures 22, disrupts communications
Bangkok Post Group
7/8/2025
0:54
Lula says world does not want 'emperor' after Trump threatens tariffs
Bangkok Post Group
7/8/2025