Two alleged illegal miners were fatally wounded and four others arrested after a shootout with members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) early Sunday morning at Blyvooruitzig Gold Mine, west of Johannesburg.
According to SAPS National Intervention Unit sources, officers responded to intelligence about heavily armed illegal miners often referred to as “zama-zamas” operating at the disused gold mine around 04h00. When police arrived on the scene, suspects attempted to flee and opened fire, prompting a tactical exchange.
In the ensuing confrontation, two suspects were fatally wounded. Four others were taken into custody. Law enforcement officials recovered an AK-47 rifle, two 9 mm pistols, and rounds of ammunition at the scene.
No police officers were injured, although a state-owned vehicle was damaged during the incident.
The operation forms part of ongoing efforts by SAPS to crack down on illegal mining syndicates across South Africa. These groups often operate in abandoned or unsecured shafts in search of residual gold deposits and have been linked to related violent incidents and the trafficking of weapons.
Investigations into Sunday’s shootout are continuing, with police gathering evidence and preparing case dockets for the arrested suspects.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
