The victims died of starvation and dehydration, but more than 500 other miners are still in the mine, said Sabelo Mnguni, spokesperson for the Mining Affected Communities United Action Group (MACUA).
He said “at least” 100 men had died at the mine in North West province, where police launched an operation to force them out of the mine in November. Since Friday, 18 bodies have been recovered from the surface, along with 26 survivors.
Illegal mining is common in South Africa, with companies closing down gold mines that are no longer profitable.
The tragedy happened at the Buffelsfontein gold mine near Stilfontein, south-west of Johannesburg, where police launched an operation two months ago to drive out illegal gold miners and seal the mine.
Police said the gold miners refused to come out for fear of arrest. Mnguni said they were trapped underground as the police removed the ropes used by the gold diggers.
Police also cut off food supplies to the trapped gold miners, but MACUA won a court ruling in December that ordered police and provincial authorities to allow food, water and medicine to be dropped into the mine.