Rescuers have brought to the surface more than 100 illegal miners who have been trapped underground for months at Stilfontein mine near Johannesburg. Dozens of bodies were also recovered in the rescue operation.

At least 78 dead bodies have been pulled from an illegal gold mine in South Africa where police cut off food and water supplies for months, in what trade unions called a "horrific" crackdown on desperate people trying to eke out a living.

South African rescuers have so far pulled 78 bodies and rescued 166 people from the Stilfontein gold mine over three days of operations, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe told reporters at the scene on Wednesday.