Rescue Operation Underway for Trapped Illegal Miners in Roodepoort

Emergency teams in Roodepoort are continuing efforts on Monday morning to rescue suspected illegal miners trapped underground in an abandoned mine shaft.

Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) responded to reports on Saturday that two individuals were inside the Rand Leases gold mine.

EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said the number of miners underground could be higher than initially reported.

“There is also some information surfacing that it might be more than two, which we cannot really confirm at this stage,” Mulaudzi said.

The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) is overseeing the rescue operation alongside mine rescue teams.

“This area falls under the jurisdiction of DMR. Their teams are on-site, leading efforts to manage the operation,” Mulaudzi added.

This incident follows a major government-led operation last month, where 78 bodies of illegal miners were retrieved from a disused mine in Stilfontein, North West.

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