South African police said there are no illegal miners still working underground at the closed gold mine

Police reported Thursday that after four days of a rescue effort at the abandoned Stilfontein gold mine in South Africa’s North West Province, no illegal miners are still underground.

Athlenda Mathe, the spokesperson for the National Police, reiterated that since the rescue effort started on Monday, 246 illegal miners were still alive and 78 remains had been recovered from the mine. Since Operation Vala Umgodi (Close the Hole), which was started in August of last year with the goal of stopping illicit mining activities, 1,907 illegal miners have come to light, she noted.

Mathe said, without giving details, that nine more deaths had been found prior to the rescue effort, increasing the total number of illegal miners killed since August to 87.

No illegal miners were still present at the site, Acting North West Police Commissioner Patrick Asaneng revealed to the media in Stilfontein. “There are no longer people alive and corpses that are still underground to be extracted,” Asaneng claimed.

The Mine Rescue Services (MRS), which was in charge of the rescue effort, reached 2.5 km deep using a cage that was fitted with cameras, but they were unable to locate any more dead or survivors. According to Asaneng, the MRS would give the Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources and law enforcement a thorough report.

“It is based on that report that the government and the relevant ministers will also be addressing your good selves on what has transpired here,” said Asaneng.

Both authorities stated that as part of Operation Vala Umgodi, the police will keep an eye on the mine.

Regarding our activities, we want to carry on with Operation Vala Umgodi. We will go after this specific hole has been fixed, closed, and restored,” Mathe said reporters.