At least 14 suspected illegal miners have been found dead in an abandoned mine shaft near the Nkaneng informal settlement in Marikana, North West, police said on Tuesday. Several others were reported injured.
Police confirm deaths; provincial commander travelling to scene
SAPS in the North West province confirmed the discovery but said the precise circumstances that led to the fatalities were not yet known. North West provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Arthur Adams was reported to be travelling to the scene to oversee the police response and the crime-scene procedure.
The bodies were located at a disused mining site close to Nkaneng. Media reports and emergency-service notices described the site as an abandoned shaft frequently used by people engaged in informal and illegal mining activity.
What is known so far
- Location: disused mine shaft near the Nkaneng informal settlement, Marikana area.
- Fatalities: 14 suspected illegal miners found dead.
- Injuries: several other people reported injured (numbers not yet confirmed).
- Investigation: circumstances unclear; SAPS provincial commissioner en route to scene.
Authorities have not released identities of the deceased. A formal investigation is expected to determine cause of death, whether from collapse, gas exposure, suffocation, poisoning, fire, or other causes. For now, police cautioned the public that the scene remains active as investigators and forensics teams document the site.
Context: illegal mining and local impact
Illegal mining has long been a feature of the platinum belt around Rustenburg and Marikana. Disused shafts and abandoned works are often accessed by community members seeking work or by syndicates extracting ore illicitly. The activity is hazardous: abandoned workings can be unstable, pockets of methane or other gases may accumulate, and supporting infrastructure for ventilation and water drainage is absent.
Communities near mine dumps and abandoned shafts are disproportionately affected when incidents occur. Bereaved families often live in nearby informal settlements and rely on irregular mining as a livelihood. Local clinics and emergency services are typically the first to respond to incidents in the area, stretching already limited resources.
Practical response and what to expect next
Police will formally open an investigation and are likely to involve forensic teams to establish cause of death and identify the victims. The Department of Labour, mines inspectorate and the provincial health department may also be involved if occupational-safety or public-health issues arise.
Residents are advised to avoid entering abandoned shafts and to report suspicious activity to SAPS. Family members with missing relatives should contact the nearest police station. Communities living around disused mining infrastructure should exercise caution and, where possible, municipal and mine owners should be urged to secure hazardous openings.
Preliminary facts summary
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Incident | Discovery of multiple deceased at abandoned mine shaft |
| Location | Nkaneng informal settlement area, Marikana (near Rustenburg) |
| Known fatalities | 14 suspected illegal miners |
| Known injuries | Several — numbers not yet confirmed |
| Police action | Provincial commissioner en route; scene active; investigation under way |
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are not yet clear,”
— police statements and media reports indicated as investigators work to establish the facts.
Local reaction and wider implications
The discovery will reopen questions about the security of abandoned mine infrastructure, the drivers of illegal mining and the socio-economic conditions that push people into dangerous activity. Municipal authorities, mining companies and provincial government departments have been urged in past incidents to better fence off and secure abandoned shafts, improve social support and job-creation measures, and intensify enforcement against organised illegal mining syndicates.
For now, families in Nkaneng and neighbouring informal settlements face the immediate task of identifying loved ones and making funeral arrangements, while investigators work to piece together what happened. Updates are expected as police complete identification, post-mortem and scene examinations.
Local residents and anyone with information about the incident or the identities of those involved are asked to contact the nearest SAPS station to assist the ongoing investigation.
(Reporting from Marikana.)
