The bodies of nine more illegal miners were retrieved from underground at the Bambanani Mine west shaft in Welkom on Sunday, bringing the total to 12, Free State police said.
“Last week three bodies were retrieved from Bambanani Mine east shaft. Today [Sunday] it is nine bodies which brings the number to 12 illegal miners retrieved,” police spokesman Captain Stephen Thakeng said.
All the bodies had name tags, showing they had all come from Thaba Tseka in Lesotho. The bodies were in a decomposed state. An inquest docket had been opened for further investigation. There were rumours that more bodies were still underground.
“We are still monitoring the situation and working together with mine security and crime intelligence has also been engaged to closely monitor,” Thakeng said.
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