South African Police Discover 21 Bodies Of Suspected Illegal Miners

According to South African Police, 19 bodies, believed to be miners', were discovered on Wednesday afternoon and two more on Thursday morning.

The discovery of at least 21 dead bodies near a working mine in the town of Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg, is being investigated by South African authorities. The bodies are thought to be those of illegal miners.

Two more bodies were found on Thursday morning, the police reported, adding to the 19 that were found on Wednesday.

Police said they suspect that the bodies were moved to the location where they were found, which is a privately-owned mine.

“We can confirm that this morning our search and rescue team went back to the scene and, as they were searching, they discovered two more bodies. 

They retrieved them from an open (mine) shaft,” police spokeswoman Brenda Muridili said. 

The grim discovery is the latest in a series of incidents related to illegal mining in the Krugersdorp area. 

In July, while filming a music video in a nearby abandoned mine, eight female members of the team were raped and robbed.

Violent demonstrations against illegal miners erupted as a result of the occurrence in the neighbourhood.

Charges of rape and robbery against 14 men, who are also thought to be illegal miners, were dropped last week when police were unable to connect them to the rapes using DNA evidence.

The men were arrested during police raids on the abandoned mine where the rapes took place.

Illegal mining gangs are considered dangerous by the police, are usually armed, and are known to fight violent turf battles with rival groups.