At least 14 suspected illegal miners have died after a mine dump site collapsed in South Africa, with eight others injured.
The incident occurred on Monday night at a site legally operated by a mining company. Police said an unknown number of miners may still be trapped underground as investigations and search efforts continue.
The site, which is located in an area where platinum and other metals are mined, was reportedly being accessed illegally by so-called “zama zamas”—a South African term commonly used for informal or illegal miners.
Regional police chief Lt-Gen Arthur Adams said the walls of the dump site collapsed on the miners. He said most of those involved are believed to be undocumented nationals from neighbouring Lesotho.
Three injured miners who were treated and released from hospital have been detained by police. They are expected to face charges related to illegal mining and trespassing.
Police have not established how the miners gained access to the legally operated mining site.
Illegal mining remains a major problem in South Africa, particularly at abandoned shafts and mining sites, where people risk their lives searching for valuable minerals.
The latest incident follows the recovery of 78 bodies from a disused mine shaft in Stilfontein in January 2025, highlighting the continuing dangers associated with the country’s illegal mining industry.
