Netwerk24 reports that the bodies of more than 50 illegal miners have been brought to surface over the past four months at mine shafts around Welkom.  

Police spokesman Capt. Stephen Thakeng indicated that on Sunday the police were called in by mine security officials after nine bodies were found underground at Bambanani’s West shaft.  Last week the police brought three bodies to surface at the East shaft of the same mine.  According to Thakeng, the police have received information that there are yet more bodies underground.  Earlier this year, the police and security officials brought hundreds of bodies to the surface over a period of three months at Eland shaft, outside Welkom.  The men apparently died as a result of ethane gas fires.  It is not known what led to the deaths at Bambanani.  On Friday, the police’s crime intelligence unit seized R2.5m worth of beer destined for transport to illegal miners. (Report loosely translated from Afrikaans)

• Read this report by Alet Van Der Walt in full in Afrikaans at Netwerk24

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