In South Africa’s Buffelsfontein Gold Mine, hundreds of illegal miners have been trapped for months. To survive after officials stopped their food supply, many miners had to make an awful choice—some resorted to cannibalism.
Two miners, who are now out on bail and facing charges for illegal mining and possession of gold, told their story to The Telegraph. They said, “They cut parts of legs, arms, and ribs for food. It was their only way to stay alive.”
Authorities first surrounded the mine entrance in August when they found out about the illegal activities. Almost 2,000 miners came out, but hundreds stayed behind. In November, police stopped all food and water supplies to force the remaining miners to leave.
Recently, 324 miners came out, but sadly, 78 of them were dead. A rescuer described how terrible it was inside, with decaying bodies and a horrible smell. Some miners admitted they had to eat human flesh and cockroaches because there was nothing else to eat.
South African officials have faced strong criticism for their harsh methods. One Cabinet minister called it a way to “smoke them out.” This plan was strongly opposed by a major trade union in the country.
According to Fourie, who led the rescue operation at the mine, they originally thought it would take 16 days to rescue the miners because their equipment could only lift two people at a time. However, after checking things out, they found they could use the cage better and rescue up to 13 miners at once.
Illegal mining in South Africa happens mostly because of poverty. Many people, including gangs and undocumented migrants, go into old mines to find leftover gold, putting their lives in danger.
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