South Africa’s Stilfontein mine: Dead bodies seen in videos from disused shaft

In a briefing held on Monday near the site of the rescue operation, Giwusa leadership, alongside community figures, said the videos shared “painted a very dire picture” of the situation underground.

“What has transpired here has to be called what it is; this is a Stilfontein massacre. Because what this footage does is show a pile of human bodies, of miners that died needlessly,” Giwusa president Mametlwe Sebei said.

He blamed the authorities for what he described as a “treacherous policy” that was deliberately pursued.

The department of mineral resources, leading the rescue effort, told the BBC that Monday’s operation included lowering down a cage that is then hoisted up once loaded with people.

This structure is designed to hold six or seven people, depending on their weight, according to Giwusa. It has been going down the shaft – descending about 2km – every hour. The union said that by the end of Monday 26 miners had been brought up alive, along with nine bodies.

Department of mineral resources spokesperson Makhosonke Buthelezi could not confirm whether the priority will be to retrieve those who had died or those in need of medical attention.

A briefing will be held by the department, together with the police ministry, on Tuesday to provide an update on the operation.