Johannesburg, South Africa (Running Africa) — At least 14 suspected illegal miners have been killed and eight others injured after a mine dump site collapsed in South Africa on Monday night, as emergency teams continue searching for an unknown number of people believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.

Police said rescue and recovery operations remain underway at the site, with authorities unable to determine how many miners may still be missing.

The victims are believed to have been part of South Africa’s informal mining community commonly known as “zama zamas,” who often enter abandoned mines, active mining areas and waste dumps in search of gold and other valuable minerals.

Rescuers Search for Miners Trapped Under Rubble

Emergency crews continued searching the collapsed dump site as authorities warned that additional miners could remain buried beneath the debris.

Eight people were initially reported injured in the collapse and taken for medical treatment.

Police said three of the injured miners have since been discharged from hospital and detained, while others could face charges related to illegal mining and trespassing.

Authorities have not yet established the total number of people who were at the site when the collapse occurred.

Mining Company Was Legally Operating Dump Site

According to police, the mine dump was being legally operated by a mining company recovering platinum and other valuable metals.

Investigators are now working to determine how the suspected illegal miners gained access to the site and what caused the collapse.

Most of those killed are believed to be undocumented migrants from neighboring Lesotho, although authorities have yet to release the identities of the victims.

South Africa Continues Crackdown on ‘Zama Zama’ Illegal Mining

Illegal mining has become a significant economic and security challenge across South Africa, where informal miners—widely known as zama zamas—operate in disused mine shafts, abandoned facilities and other mining areas.

The informal industry has been fuelled by poverty, high unemployment and the decline of parts of South Africa’s once-dominant mining sector.

Authorities have intensified operations against illegal mining networks in recent years, carrying out mass arrests and targeting groups accused of operating unauthorized underground mining operations.

The industry has also become increasingly associated with dangerous working conditions, organized criminal networks and violent disputes over access to valuable mineral deposits.

Latest Collapse Follows Deadly Stilfontein Mine Disaster

Monday’s collapse comes less than two years after one of South Africa’s deadliest recent incidents involving illegal miners.

In January 2025, authorities recovered 78 bodies from a disused mine shaft in Stilfontein following a prolonged operation involving hundreds of miners underground.

The disaster drew international attention to the dangerous conditions faced by zama zamas and sparked renewed debate over South Africa’s approach to illegal mining.

As rescue operations continue following the latest collapse, authorities are working to determine whether more people remain trapped while investigating how the miners entered the legally operated site.