At least 14 illegal miners were killed and eight others seriously injured after a rockfall at a disused mine near Rustenburg in South Africa’s North West province, police said Tuesday.

The accident occurred at an abandoned mine in the Rustenburg area, approximately 130 kilometers northwest of Johannesburg. Police said rescue operations and an investigation were underway at the site.

North West police spokesperson Colonel Adele Myburgh said the identities and nationalities of the deceased had not initially been confirmed as authorities were still assessing the scene. Police later said that most of those killed were believed to be Basotho, referring to people from Lesotho.

Eight other miners were injured in the rockfall and taken to hospital for treatment. Authorities also warned that an unknown number of miners could still be trapped underground, with rescue teams continuing to assess the mine and search for possible survivors.

Police have opened an inquest into the deaths, while investigations continue to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse.

The victims were among South Africa’s informal miners, commonly known as “zama zamas,” who enter abandoned and disused mine shafts in search of gold, platinum and other valuable minerals.

Such mining frequently takes place without proper structural inspections, ventilation, lighting, protective equipment or emergency systems. Police have previously warned that abandoned shafts can be highly unstable, making rockfalls and other accidents a persistent danger.

Myburgh said the conditions inside many disused mines are extremely hazardous, with deteriorating structures and virtually no safety infrastructure.

The latest deaths once again highlight the severe risks faced by informal miners who descend into abandoned shafts in search of income.

Illegal mining has remained a serious problem in South Africa, particularly in mineral-rich areas such as the North West province. Many informal miners are driven underground by poverty and limited employment opportunities, while authorities have also linked some illegal mining networks to organized crime.

The sector has repeatedly been associated with violence, extortion and criminal syndicates that control access to abandoned mine workings.

Rustenburg itself is a major platinum-producing region and has experienced repeated mining-related tragedies. In 2023, an accident involving a mine elevator at an operating platinum mine in Rustenburg killed 13 workers and injured dozens more, although that incident was separate from the latest rockfall.

The latest disaster also recalls the deadly crisis at the Stilfontein mine in North West province, where dozens of illegal miners died after becoming trapped underground during a prolonged standoff with authorities in 2024–25.

Rescue teams remain at the Rustenburg site as authorities work to determine whether additional miners remain underground. Officials are expected to release further information as the rescue operation and investigation progress. (ILKHA)