Illegal miners rescued and immediately arrested in South Africa

stilfontein - South African police rescued 118 illegal miners from a shut-down gold mine after a months-long standoff. 36 of them were found dead. The rescued individuals were immediately arrested.

South African authorities, according to human rights organizations, blocked all food and drink deliveries to the miners since October, forcing them to come out. Many workers refused, fearing arrest for illegal mining. Around 1500 people came out voluntarily, but it's unclear how many miners remained underground. Estimates range from hundreds to thousands of people.

The government's approach sparked criticism from human rights organizations as miners starved. On Monday, individuals who had emerged shared videos showing dozens of bodies.