South Africa authorities face scrutiny over mine response

South African authorities face growing anger over their handling of a standoff with illegal miners trapped in an abandoned gold mine, as the death toll from the incident reached at least 87.

Authorities may face an investigation over their initial refusal to help the miners and instead “smoke them out” by cutting off their food supplies.

The miners are suspected to have died of starvation and dehydration, although no causes of death…