A devastating gas explosion in a disused South African gold mine claimed the lives of at least 31 illegal miners over a month ago, a tragedy only recently brought to light. Authorities are facing significant challenges in recovering the bodies due to dangerously high methane gas levels within the mine shaft.
Located in Welkom, within the Free State province, the mine was formerly operated by a major South African gold mining company until its closure in the 1990s. The South African Department of Mineral and Energy Resources, the governing body responsible for mining operations, is currently investigating the incident. Preliminary findings suggest the victims were illegal miners from neighboring Lesotho, and the explosion is believed to have occurred in Shaft 5 of the Virginia mine on May 18th. This information came to light after Lesotho's foreign ministry recently contacted South African authorities.
Illegal mining activity is a persistent issue in South Africa's abandoned gold mining regions. Driven by poverty and the hope of finding leftover deposits, miners often venture into closed and hazardous shafts. Tragically, fatal incidents are frequent, and many go unreported due to survivors' fear of legal repercussions. A similar incident occurred in November when the bodies of 21 illegal miners were discovered at an active mine in Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg. Authorities suspect these bodies were moved from a different disused mine by other illegal miners, hoping for their discovery.
In the recent Welkom disaster, the mineral resources department believes that while three bodies were retrieved by fellow illegal miners, dozens more remain trapped underground. The hazardous conditions are preventing immediate rescue efforts, but authorities are exploring alternative solutions to address this complex and unusual situation.
The mine was previously under the ownership of Harmony Gold, chaired by billionaire mining magnate Patrice Motsepe, one of South Africa's wealthiest individuals and brother-in-law to President Cyril Ramaphosa. This connection adds another layer of complexity to the already tragic event.
