Two soldiers lost their lives in mine shaft tragedy while chasing illegal miners.
Two members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have died after falling into an abandoned vertical mine shaft while pursuing suspected illegal miners during an anti-illegal mining operation in western Johannesburg.
The incident occurred at about 6am on Friday, July 17, 2026, at the abandoned CRD Mine during Operation Prosper, a joint operation targeting illegal mining activities.
According to the SANDF, soldiers deployed at the site spotted suspected illegal miners emerging from the underground workings before giving chase into a tunnel. During the pursuit, the two members fell into an open, abandoned vertical mine shaft.
Specialised emergency response teams, including Mine Rescue Services and disaster management personnel, were immediately dispatched to the scene. Recovery operations were later completed, with the bodies of both soldiers retrieved from the shaft.
