Desperate hunger, cannibalism: South Africa mine tragedy survivors recall horror after rescue

After a lengthy stand-off between police and illegal miners in South Africa that ended with the recovery of over 70 bodies last week, horror stories have started coming out from the survivors, with some resorting to cannibalism to survive in one of the country's deepest mines.

The tragedy, which left South Africa divided, and left many illegal miners dead in its wake, unfolded last year after the police in August began blocking food and water from entering the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine near Stilfontein in a bid to try and force illegal miners back to the surface.

The tactic, which had 'worked' elsewhere—1,300 illegal miners across the country did surrender and appear in court—had drastic consequences for those in the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine.

As months wore on and supplies were blocked, locals and unions argued that the illegal miners were perhaps actually trapped, or too weak to come back to the surface.

The police, however, persisted, until courts ordered a rescue operation to bring the remaining miners out.

By that time, the damage had been done—as images and videos surfaced of body bags being dragged out of the mine, South Africa's second-largest trade union federation called the incident "one of the most horrific displays of state wilful negligence in recent history".

At the end of it all, 78 miners died, while 246 were rescued from the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine.

But what cost did survival exact on the miners?

According to a report by The Telegraph, which interviewed a couple of survivors of the tragedy, some miners resorted to cannibalism as the lack of supplies drove them to desperation.

"They cut parts of legs, arms, and ribs for sustenance. They decided it was their only remaining option for survival," one of the survivors, who did not wish to be named, was quoted as saying by the publication.

While the two interviewed by the publication insisted that they had not resorted to cannibalism, The Telegraph noted that the accounts of these two survivors echo that of others who survived the tragedy.

The police, however, have not yet commented on whether state actions drove illegal miners into cannibalism, and reports suggest that hoarding of supplies by ring-leaders behind illegal mining could also be one of the causes.

The government, for its part, has remained defiant, with mining minister Gwede Mantashehe saying this week, "If you go to a dangerous place such as a neglected mine and stay there for about three months, starving yourself to death, how does that become the responsibility of the state?"

That being said, the ruling party's coalition partner has called for a thorough probe, and the police have said that their investigation into the tragedy will take into account the full scope of what went on underground.