Wednesday, January 15

At least 100 miners have died after getting trapped while illegally working in an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, and hundreds of others are still stuck inside.

The Buffelsfontein Gold Mine is one of the deepest mines in South Africa, located along the Vaal River as it passes the city of Klerksdorp. The mine was abandoned due to the fact that it was no longer a good source of materials, but many miners go inside abandoned mines to illegally search for any valuable materials that have been left behind. However, since this is illegal activity, the miners usually go in for several months, taking food, water, and other supplies with them in order to survive for a long period of time in the mines. Relatives of the miners have said that some of them have been inside since July -- over 6 months -- and police estimate that they are at a depth of around 1.5 miles.

When authorities first found out about the issue, they began taking action that has been heavily criticized by human rights groups. In November, police cut off all food and water supplies to the miners, removed the ropes that they used to get down, and disconnected their pulley system for sending up supplies. They claimed that it was part of an attempt to force the miners out, but the they refused to exit the mine.

The government also denied pleas to send help to the miners, claiming that they were criminals. While a court case was won in December to allow food and water supplies to be sent down to the miners, it was not nearly enough to provide for all of them. Authorities have stated that the miners are able to come out, but they refuse to do so because of their fear of being arrested-- although, human rights groups have strongly argued against that fact. Now, the miners are dying from starvation and dehydration, and many are too weak to make the steep climb out of the mine.

Just hours ago, police finally began rescue operations, and they have rescued 60 bodies and extracted 132 miners who are still alive. While the operation is continuing, over 100 people are estimated to be dead, and hundreds more are still in the mine. The local community has called out the authorities for not beginning rescue efforts months ago, which they claim could have saved most or all of the miners killed by starvation and dehydration in the mine. Authorities have maintained, though, that any miners who are rescued will be charged with trespassing and illegal mining after they recover.

Unfortunately, illegal mining is quite common in South Africa, as several wealthy companies maintain most of the market and prevent other miners from making money on their own. There is also a large racial gap due to the country's history with apartheid, which exploited Black people for many purposes, including in the mines.

Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): The saltiest body of water in the world is actually in Antarctica-- the Don Juan Pond has a salinity level of over 40%. That's 6% higher than the Dead Sea and 36.5% higher than the average salinity of the oceans.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone. (Ronald Reagan)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Deus ex machina (noun, DAY-us-eks-MAH-kih-nuh) - A deus ex machina is a character or thing that suddenly enters the story in a novel, play, movie, etc., and solves a problem that had previously seemed impossible to solve.

In a Sentence: The introduction of a new love interest in the final act was the perfect deus ex machina for the main character's happy ending.