South African mine collapse kills 14 miners

At least 14 artisanal miners were killed and eight injured when the walls of an illicit mine caved in near South Africa — Rustenburg, South Africa, on Monday night. Police reported the collapse occurred at a former dumping site where an open excavation's walls gave way. Most of the deceased were reportedly nationals of Lesotho. Search operations with sniffer dogs were ongoing, and three injured miners were arrested on suspicion of illegal mining. The incident highlights the persistent dangers of illegal mining in South Africa, where thousands of zama zamas operate in abandoned mines without safety equipment. It follows a major disaster in late 2024 when over 80 miners died in a standoff at a gold mine. President Cyril Ramaphosa had earlier deployed soldiers to combat organized crime, including illegal mining.