Seventeen Illegal Miners resurface at Stilfontein Mine, a teen claims armed bosses held him

Seventeen illegal miners emerged from two shafts in Stilfontein on Thursday, according to police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.

Fourteen came from Margaret Shaft and three from Shaft 10. The 14 miners at Margaret Shaft are foreign nationals from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique and are still being processed.

On the same day, around 300 illegal miners appeared in the Stilfontein Magistrate's Court, facing charges of illegal mining and breaking immigration laws.

One of the three miners who resurfaced at Shaft 10 shared a harrowing experience.

The 19-year-old, who spent six months underground, claimed he was forced to mine by armed bosses. "There are snipers down there. They will beat you if you want to leave," he said.

He escaped due to hunger and described the conditions as "wet and not good," surviving only by eating toothpaste. He added that more miners were behind him trying to escape.