Rescue workers remove six more bodies from South African mine

Six more bodies have been pulled from a South African mine, as efforts continue for a second day to help hundreds of illegal miners who are still believed to be at least 2 km (1.2 miles) underground , a national umbrella body for NGOs, Sanco told the BBC.

Eight people emerged alive on Tuesday, while eight of the 26 people rescued on Monday survived when they were lifted from the disused mine shaft in a cage operated by a crane to the surface. Nine bodies were recovered on Monday.

These people have been underground since a police operation targeting illegal mining was launched across the country last year.

Last week a court ordered the government to facilitate a long-delayed rescue operation.

This story contains a video that some people may find disturbing.

Last year, arguing that miners had deliberately entered the shaft at Stilfontein without permission, authorities took a tough stance, blocking food and water supplies.

In November, a government minister said: “We are going to exterminate them.”

More than 100 illegal miners, known locally as “Zama Zamas”, have died underground since operations began at the mine about 145 km (90 mi) southwest of Johannesburg.

However, authorities have not confirmed the figure as it has yet to be “verified by an official source”, a spokesperson told the BBC.

Disturbing videos emerged on Monday that show the dire conditions at a disused gold mine.

In one film, which has not been independently confirmed by the BBC, bodies can be seen wrapped in makeshift body bags. In a second the emaciated figures of the few miners who are still alive are seen.

Hundreds of people are believed to still be in the mine, while more than 1,000 mines have been exposed in the past few months.

In a video released by the trade union, General Industries Workers of South Africa (GIVUSA), dozens of shirtless men can be seen sitting on a dirty floor. Their faces have been blurred. A male voice can be heard off camera saying that they are hungry and need help.

“We’re starting to show you the bodies of people who died underground,” he says.

“And that’s not all… Do you see how people are struggling? We need help, please.”

In another video, a man says, “This is hunger, people are dying of hunger.” He then puts the death toll at 96 and pleads for help, food and supplies.

The union says the footage was filmed on Saturday.

At a briefing held on Monday near the rescue operation site, Givusa leadership along with community figures said the videos shared “paint a very serious picture” of the situation underground.

“What happened here needs to be called what it is; it is the Stilfontein massacre. Because this footage shows piles of human bodies, of miners who died unnecessarily,” said Mameltwe Sebei, president of Givusa.

He blamed the authorities for a “treacherous policy” deliberately adopted.

The Department of Mineral Resources, which is leading the rescue, told the BBC that Monday’s operation involved lowering a cage which is then raised once filled with people.

According to Givusa, the structure is designed to hold six or seven people, depending on their weight. It’s going down the shaft every hour.