Rescue operations continue to unfold in South Africa as efforts persist to save hundreds of illegal miners trapped in an abandoned gold mine. This week, rescuers brought dozens of bodies and emaciated survivors to the surface, while hundreds more remain buried underground. Many of them are feared to be dead, while others are too weak to surface on their own.

A court had ordered the government to initiate the rescue mission, which is expected to take 16 days, following a tense two-month standoff. The mine has become the focal point of a heated confrontation between police, miners, and local communities. Since November, authorities had launched a controversial operation to force the miners out, cutting off their access to food and water in an effort to “smoke them out.” At the time, a government minister made it clear that no assistance would be provided to the miners, calling them “criminals.”

Now, amid mounting death tolls and severe suffering, the mission to recover the miners continues, drawing attention to the deadly consequences of South Africa’s ongoing struggle with illegal mining and its broader social and economic issues.

Agencies.