In South Africa, many miners became trapped underground for months in a disused mine. When Mzwandile Mkwayi, a former convict, volunteered to help with their rescue, he found the situation horrifying.
He was shocked by the terrible smell of decaying bodies, and miners told him they had resorted to eating each other and insects to survive. Mkwayi shared this after returning home, saying it deeply disturbed him.
The miners had been stuck underground for a long time because of a crackdown on illegal mining. These miners, mostly undocumented migrants, were desperate to make a living from gold in abandoned mines. However, their efforts turned tragic when they ran out of food and water.
Mkwayi, who had served time in prison, felt compelled to help his community. Although he was terrified of the dangerous 2 km descent into the mine, he and his friend Mandla volunteered to rescue the trapped miners.
They saw more than 70 bodies and 200 dehydrated miners who were desperate for help. When the miners saw the rescuers, they welcomed them as heroes.
Despite some government claims that the miners refused to leave the mine, Mkwayi insists that they were too weak to do so and that they were simply trying to survive. Many miners, who appeared weak and emaciated when rescued, had been left to starve because authorities had blocked efforts to provide food or water to them.
The tragedy at the mine is part of a larger issue of illegal mining, which has caused huge losses to the country’s economy. Activists and trade unions blame the government for not acting sooner to rescue the miners, calling the deaths a “massacre.”
While the authorities argue that the miners were engaging in criminal activity, Mkwayi believes they were simply trying to survive in a tough economy.
The whole situation highlights South Africa’s ongoing struggle with unemployment, which forces people to take dangerous risks to feed their families. Mkwayi calls for the government to give miners licenses so they can work safely, as many are driven by hunger and poverty, not crime. (Source: BBC)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62qqg0zj6yo