As part of measures to arrest the continued deaths, the SA government has resorted to shutting down mines temporarily.

Most observers suggest that the spike in illegal mining is the result of near record gold prices combined with soaring unemployment, and an increasing number of desperate South Africans and people from neighbouring countries like Mozambique and Lesotho, willing to risk their lives.

"The mining industry has seen over 50,000 retrenchments since the end of the third quarter last year [2008],” Lesiba Seshoka, spokesperson for South Africa's National Union of Mine Workers said.

The global economic downturn has weakened demand for minerals, putting resource companies under pressure and leading to widespread layoffs in mining and related sectors.

Official statistics in May put South Africa's official unemployment rate at 23.5 percent as the economy entered a recession for the first time in 17 years.

The number of people out of work rose to 4.18 million from 3.87 million some three months ago, but the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) predicts that almost one million more workers could lose their jobs this year.