• Police are working to identify 93 bodies of suspected illegal miners found in a Stilfontein mine, using DNA tests and fingerprint comparisons.

• Families of missing miners are urged to come forward, with 45 DNA samples already collected to help confirm identities across multiple nationalities.

North West police are yet to identify 93 bodies of suspected illegal miners found in a disused mine in Stilfontein last year.

Police spokesman Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said the bodies were retrieved from Buffelsfontein Gold Mine’s Shaft No. 11 between 3 December 2024 and 15 January 2025.

The process started after post-mortems were conducted. The breakdown of bodies found is as follows:

• Nine were pulled up by community volunteers using ropes between 3 December 2024 and 9 January 2025.

• 78 were recovered during a Mine Rescue Operation between 13 and 15 January 2025.

• Five suspected illegal miners died in hospitals between 20 January and 12 February 2025—four were linked to Buffelsfontein Shaft No. 11 and one to Margaret Shaft.

• One body was retrieved from Margaret Shaft.

In the investigation of the first nine bodies, three were identified and handed over to their families—all from Mozambique.

Mokgwabone said DNA samples were taken from 78 bodies recovered during the rescue mission.

Of these, 54 fingerprints were obtained for comparison, leading to the identification of 10 individuals based on past arrests in South Africa. The identified nationalities are:

• Seven from Mozambique

• One from Zimbabwe

• One from Lesotho

• One from South Africa

To help with more identifications, police called on people who have lost contact with relatives working as zama zamas in the Khuma or Stilfontein areas to come forward between 4 and 14 February 2025.

This led to 45 family DNA samples being collected. The nationalities of these next of kin are:

• 18 from Mozambique

• Six from Lesotho

• Eight from Zimbabwe

• 12 from South Africa

• One from Botswana

Mokgwabone said cooperation between these countries continues in efforts to identify the deceased.

Pictured above: A site where zama zamas were retrieved in Stilfontein, North West

Image source: Supplied by SAPS