At least 14 artisanal miners have died and eight others were injured after a mine collapsed in South Africa’s North West province, authorities said.
The incident occurred on Monday night near Rustenburg, a major platinum-mining area located about 130 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg.
North West provincial police commissioner, Lt. Gen. Arthur Adams, said rescue efforts were still underway as authorities worked to determine whether additional miners remained trapped underground.
Specialised equipment and sniffer dogs were deployed to search the collapsed mine for possible survivors.
Police said the miners were allegedly engaged in illegal mining activities when the walls of the mine gave way.
Three of the injured miners were treated and discharged from hospital before being arrested on suspicion of illegal mining. The remaining five injured miners were still receiving medical treatment under police guard, Adams said.
Authorities also said most of those who died appeared to be nationals of neighbouring Lesotho.
Artisanal miners, popularly known as zama zamas, frequently operate illegally in abandoned gold and platinum mines across South Africa. The term loosely translates to “chance takers.”
Many work without proper safety equipment and can remain underground for extended periods while searching for valuable mineral deposits.
South Africa, which has the world’s largest known platinum reserves, has struggled for years with illegal mining, which authorities say is often linked to organised criminal networks.
The activities have also been associated with violent clashes between rival mining groups and allegations of intimidation of communities around mining areas.
The latest incident comes months after another major illegal-mining disaster in South Africa. In late 2024, hundreds of suspected illegal miners became trapped underground at a gold mine surrounded by police. The standoff lasted for months and authorities said more than 80 miners died.
Earlier this year, President Cyril Ramaphosa deployed soldiers as part of a year-long operation targeting organised crime, with illegal mining identified as one of the areas of focus.
