At least 100 people who were mining illegally in an abandoned gold mine in South Africa have died after being trapped deep underground for months while police tried to get them out, a group representing the miners said Monday.

Also disturbing videos have emerged showing the dire situation at a disused gold mine in South Africa where scores of illegal miners have reportedly been living underground for months. They have been there since police operations targeting illicit mining started last year across the country.

Sabelo Mnguni, a spokesperson for the Mining Affected Communities United in Action Group said that a cell phone sent to the surface with some rescued miners Friday had two videos on it showing dozens of bodies underground wrapped in plastic.

Mnguni said “a minimum” of 100 men had died in the mine in Northwest province where police first launched an operation in November to force the miners out. They were suspected to have died of starvation or dehydration,18 bodies have reportedly been brought out since Friday.

Police spokesperson Brig. Sebata Mokgwabone said they were still verifying information on how many bodies had been recovered and how many survivors were brought out after starting a new rescue operation Monday.

Last year, arguing that the miners had entered the shaft in Stilfontein deliberately without permission, the authorities took a hard line, blocking food and water supplies.

In November, one government minister said: “We are going to smoke them out.”

More than 100 of the illegal miners, known locally as “zama zamas”, have reportedly died underground since the crackdown began at the mine some 145km (90 miles) south-west of Johannesburg.
The South African government has launched a rescue operation to bring out the bodies of the dead and survivors if any.