14 artisanal miners killed in South Africa mine collapse

At least 14 artisanal miners were killed and eight injured after an illegal mining site collapsed near Rustenburg, South Africa. Most of the victims were reportedly from Lesotho. Three injured miners were arrested after leaving hospital over alleged illegal mining. The tragedy highlights the dangers of “zama zama” illegal mining, which is also linked to organised crime. It comes after a 2024 disaster in which more than 80 illegal miners died at an abandoned gold mine.

14 Artisanal Miners Killed In South Africa Mine Collapse
At least 14 artisanal miners have been killed and eight others injured after an illicit mining site collapsed near Rustenburg in South Africa's North West province, police said.
The incident occurred on Monday night at a former mining dumping site about 130 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg.
North West provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Arthur Adams said rescue operations were continuing because authorities could not confirm whether additional miners remained trapped.
Sniffer dogs and specialised rescue equipment were deployed to search the site.

MOST VICTIMS BELIEVED TO BE FROM LESOTHO

Police said most of those killed appeared to be nationals of neighbouring Lesotho.
The victims were reportedly working illegally at the site when a heap of earth collapsed.
Authorities initially believed a mine shaft had collapsed, but later determined that the accident occurred at an open excavation at a former dumping area.
The walls of accumulated earth reportedly gave way, burying the miners.
Eight injured miners were taken to hospital.
Three were later discharged and arrested on suspicion of illegal mining, while five remained in hospital under police guard.

RESCUE TEAMS SEARCH FOR MORE VICTIMS

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that other miners could still be trapped.
Rescue teams are therefore continuing to search the area before declaring the operation complete.
The unstable nature of abandoned mining sites makes rescue operations particularly dangerous, as additional collapses can occur while teams search for survivors.

WHO ARE THE ZAMA ZAMAS?

The miners involved in the incident are part of a large informal mining population commonly known in South Africa as “zama zamas”, a term loosely translated as “chance takers”.
Tens of thousands of people work illegally in abandoned gold and platinum mines across the country.
Many enter disused shafts or excavations after major mining companies stop operating in an area.
They often work without proper protective equipment, ventilation systems, emergency facilities or other basic safety measures.
Some miners remain underground for weeks at a time.

ILLEGAL MINING ALSO LINKED TO CRIMINAL GANGS

Illegal mining in South Africa is not only a labour and safety issue.
Authorities have repeatedly linked some illegal mining operations to organised criminal networks that control access to mining areas and fight over territory.
Police say some groups involved in the illegal mining economy have been associated with violence, extortion and other crimes.
The criminalisation of the sector makes it difficult for authorities to regulate working conditions or identify people trapped underground following accidents.

PREVIOUS DISASTER KILLED MORE THAN 80 MINERS

The latest tragedy comes less than two years after one of South Africa's most serious illegal-mining disasters.
In late 2024, more than 80 illegal miners died during a months-long standoff at an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, also in North West province.
Police surrounded the mine as part of an operation to force illegal miners out of the underground workings.
The crisis drew widespread attention to the dangerous conditions in abandoned mines and the difficult choices facing authorities trying to tackle illegal mining while dealing with humanitarian concerns.
The Stilfontein deaths intensified calls for stronger action against organised illegal mining and better protection for vulnerable workers.

GOVERNMENT STEPS UP CRACKDOWN

President Cyril Ramaphosa has made illegal mining a major part of efforts to combat organised crime.
This year, he authorised the deployment of soldiers as part of a year-long operation targeting organised criminal networks, with illegal mining among the key areas of focus.
Authorities argue that shutting down illegal mining operations is necessary to protect communities, prevent environmental damage and weaken criminal groups that profit from the sector.
However, the repeated deaths of miners show that enforcement alone has not eliminated the problem.

POVERTY DRIVES DANGEROUS WORK

For many artisanal miners, illegal mining is driven by poverty, unemployment and the search for income.
Some workers travel from neighbouring countries such as Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe in search of opportunities in South Africa's mining regions.
The informal nature of the work means miners often have little access to workplace protections or compensation when accidents occur.
For their families, a mining disaster can therefore result not only in the loss of a loved one but also the sudden disappearance of an important source of income.

THE HUMAN COST OF ILLEGAL MINING

The Rustenburg collapse once again exposes the dangers faced by people working in South Africa's abandoned mining sites.
As rescue teams continue searching for possible survivors, the incident has renewed questions about how authorities can tackle organised illegal mining while preventing vulnerable workers from entering dangerous sites in the first place.
The tragedy also highlights the wider regional nature of the problem, as many of those working in South Africa's illegal mining sector come from neighbouring countries.
Without addressing unemployment, poverty, criminal control of abandoned mines and the availability of safer livelihoods, authorities are likely to continue facing deadly accidents in the country's abandoned mining areas.