South African police said on Tuesday that 14 illegal miners had died and scores of others had been injured at a disused mine near Rustenburg in the North West province.
It is unclear how they died.
Police did not give more details, but were on the way to the scene in Rustenburg on Tuesday.
Illegal mining has plagued South Africa for decades through small-time pilfering and organised criminal networks.
Typically, undocumented miners move into mines abandoned by commercial miners and seek to extract whatever is left. Some are under the control of violent criminal gangs.
Illegal mining costs the government and mining industry hundreds of millions of dollars annually in lost sales, taxes and royalties.
- Fourteen illegal miners died at a disused mine near Rustenburg in South Africa's North West province.
- Scores of other illegal miners were injured in the incident.
- The cause of death for the miners remains unclear.
- South African police were on their way to the scene on Tuesday but provided no further details.
- Illegal mining in South Africa involves both small-time pilfering and organized criminal networks and causes significant financial losses to the government and mining industry.
It is unclear how they died.
Police did not give more details, but were on the way to the scene in Rustenburg on Tuesday.
Illegal mining has plagued
Typically, undocumented miners move into mines abandoned by commercial miners and seek to extract whatever is left. Some are under the control of violent criminal gangs.
Illegal mining costs the government and mining industry hundreds of millions of dollars annually in lost sales, taxes and royalties.
