Durban - An illegal miner claimed that the 21 men whose bodies were found in Krugersdorp earlier this week, died following a trench collapse.
This claim appears to support police comment ruling out foul play.
On Thursday, police teams recovered the bodies of two suspected illegal miners. Only hours before, the bodies of 19 men were found near a mine in Krugersdorp.
“Preliminary investigations suggest that the deceased were moved and placed where they were discovered. No foul play is suspected at this stage and post-mortems will determine the course of death.
“All the necessary role-players were summoned to the scene. An inquest docket has been registered for further investigation,” said national police spokesperson, Brigadier Brenda Muridili.
Speaking to IOL on Thursday evening, Muridili said police did not want to speculate on the cause of death.
In an interview with Herald Live, an illegal miner said the trench had been compromised by the recent heavy rains.
The man alleged that the bodies were moved from the mine to deter SAPS from investigating the area they were working in.
The man further alleged that the recent heavy rains compromised the trench.
He claimed that the combination of the rains and the dynamite used to move the earth impacted negatively on their work and as a result, some miners took a break until the rain ceased.
The man added that the deaths were not caused by a fight between illegal miners.
Police are awaiting post-mortem reports meanwhile, an inquest has been opened.
IOL