A South African horror story: illegal mining stand-off draws to an end

Rescue workers in Stilfontein, South Africa, completed a four-day operation to bring 246 illegal gold miners to the surface from an abandoned mine shaft. 78 miners were found dead. The miners, known as “zama zamas,” had been underground for months with deteriorating conditions after authorities cut off their food and water supplies in November. Community activists and trade unions criticized the government for its handling of the situation, with videos showing miners living among corpses and eating cockroaches for sustenance.

Full Article