Authorities are now working to identify the victims. Many are believed to have come from neighboring countries including Lesotho and Mozambique.

South African unions have complained repeatedly about safety conditions in the nation's mines. Last week, more than 3,200 gold miners were temporarily trapped in a mine near Johannesburg because of an accident that crippled an elevator.

All of those miners were rescued, but not before some spent 36 hours below the surface. - VOA News