Those who were picked up on Monday were taken up with a large cage that was sent into the mine near Stilfontein, about 14 miles southwest of Johannesburg. The rescue efforts have been resumed on Tuesday.
Thousands of people are said to work illegally in abandoned mine shafts in South Africa. The attempts to force them out of the mine in Stilfontein began in November, and there are reports that some of them have been there since the summer.
The authorities claim that the workers can get out but refuse. Human rights groups, on the other hand, claim that many of the workers die of starvation and cannot climb up the steep shaft.
According to the police, there are likely hundreds of people left underground.
On Monday, the government stated that over 1,000 people who were involved in illegal mining activities in the area have come up to the surface and been arrested. Over 100 are believed to have died of starvation or dehydration.
