Stilfontein death toll rises to 78
The tally comes on the third day of the final phase of a government-led plan to clamp down on illicit gold mining in the area.
A cage set to retrieve hundreds of illegal miners from an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein has been assembled. Picture: Nokukhanya Mntambo/EWN
STILFONTEIN - The death toll in Stilfontein has risen to 78 as an operation to retrieve illegal miners from an abandoned gold mine continues.
This is an increase of 18 since Tuesday.
The tally comes on the third day of the final phase of a government-led plan to clamp down on illicit gold mining in the area.
The bodies were brought up by a special cage used by mine rescue experts, who are part of a task team appointed by the police minister exactly two months ago.
More than 150 illegal miners have been retrieved alive since the start of the week.
Jessica Lawrence, a senior attorney at Lawyers for Human Rights, who are representing the families of some of the illegal miners, said that the situation was dire.