The ministry of foreign affairs has appealed for public assistance in identifying the bodies of Basotho illegal miners who tragically perished recently in a mining accident at an abandoned Stilfontein Mine, South Africa.
The operation will be conducted with the aid of a forensic team today.
The ministry reported in a statement this week that a police operation at the Stilfontein Mine resulted in the arrest of 1905 illegal miners, as well as the discovery of 88 deceased individuals whose bodies were highly decomposed, rendering identification challenging.
According to the ministry, an unknown number of victims are Basotho.
“We urge families with relatives and friends in the Stilfontein or Klerksdorp area who have lost contact to urgently visit the Stilfontein Mine site. If you believe your loved ones were involved in the mining operation and are missing, please provide DNA samples to help authorities with the identification process,” the ministry pleaded.
