Human rights groups concerned about the condition of illegal miners re-emerging from Stilfontein mine
While more than 160 people have been retrieved alive from underground since the start of the week - 78 dead bodies have also been recovered.
JOHANNESBURG - Human rights groups say the condition of the illegal miners re-emerging from an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein is critical.
Hundreds of zama zamas have been without food and water for weeks on end.
While more than 160 people have been retrieved alive from underground since the start of the week - 78 dead bodies have also been recovered.
READ: Mining experts leading the Stilfontein rescue operation raise red flags
Some are believed to have starved to death during a government-led operation to clamp down on illegal mining in the area.
Senior attorney at Lawyers for Human Rights, Jessica Lawrence, described the scene near the shaft where the operation is underway.
"If you stand at the sides of the operation, we can't of course go further, but from where we stand we can see the bodies being taken out of the cage and I think that is incredibly distressing to see how the bodies of deceased mine workers that died underground, as the miners have told us, because of starvation and dehydration and to see them hung up in body bags and being taken out of the crane is very distressing."