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Miners in South Africa, who take risks by entering abandoned mines to search for leftover gold, had no option but to survive by eating the bodies of dead workers.
78 bodies were recovered, with 246 came out alive. (Photo Credits: AP)
Illegal miners trapped in one of South Africa’s deepest gold reserves have shared their shocking experience of turning to cannibalism to stay alive. The group had been stuck in the abandoned Buffelsfontein Gold Mine for nearly nine months. During the stand-off with the police, the authorities blocked food and water from reaching the mine to force them out. These miners, who took risks by entering abandoned mines to search for leftover gold, had no option but to survive by eating the bodies of dead workers. During a rescue mission, 78 bodies were recovered and 246 came out alive.
Speaking with Telegraph, a miner said, “They cut parts of legs, arms and ribs for sustenance. They decided it was their only remaining option for survival.” Although he and his colleague say they didn’t eat human flesh, they were left with no choice but to eat cockroaches once their food ran out.
The miners claim further claim that they went into the tunnel in July 2024 to help move food, medicine and people using ropes. Initially, they had enough food, drinks and basic supplies. They were making around £400 (approximately Rs 43,000) a month and hoped to save money. But in August, the police stopped all supplies from reaching them.
The local police suspect that James Neo Tshoaeli, aka Tiger, was the leader of the illegal operation underground. He is blamed for causing deaths, attacks and torture, along with keeping food away from the hard-working miners. Tshoaeli is believed appeared on the surface earlier this month but mysteriously vanished while being taken to a detention centre, allegedly with the help of corrupt police officers.
While the government has remained silent, Gwede Mantashehe, the mining minister, said, “If you go to a dangerous place such as a neglected mine and stay there for about three months, starving yourself to death, how does that become the responsibility of the state?”
Another miner, speaking about the horrific site, told BBC, “Those bodies smelled bad. It’s because when I spoke to the miners, they told me some of them had to eat other (people) inside the mine because there was no way they could find food. And they were also eating cockroaches. The rescue company said they didn’t have anyone who wanted to go down. So my friend Mandla and I agreed to volunteer so we could help our brothers to resurface and bring up the dead bodies. I felt very weak when I saw them, it was a painful thing to see. Mandla and I decided we needed to be strong and not show them how we felt so we could motivate them.”
Reports suggest that due to this illegal mining, South Africa loses nearly £3 billion in revenue annually. The miners, often coming from neighbouring countries, are also blamed for the crimes.
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