3 zama zamas die in cop shootout
Four more trapped bodies ‘decaying underground’
A tip-off about illegal mining activity in Boksburg on the East Rand led to a shootout between police and illegal miners yesterday.
Police called to Angelo informal settlement yesterday were told illegal miners were in possession of unlicensed firearms.
Sergeant Cebisa Maseko said police arrived in the area at about 5am and addressed the illegal miners.
“However, they started firing at the police and a shootout ensued, which resulted in the death of three suspects,” Maseko said. “We suspect that one [of them] died from natural causes as he had no gunshot wounds in his body.”
She said five firearms and a bulletproof vest were recovered at the scene.
“We arrested 15 suspects and we have [also] registered cases of attempted murder. One suspect was charged with possession of [an] unlicensed firearm and another for possession of explosives and illegal mining. No police officer was wounded in the incident,” Maseko said.
One of the illegal miners allegedly told police there were four bodies decaying 3km underground, but that they could not be brought to the surface until the mine was cleansed. He said they were waiting for family members to perform rituals.
It is alleged that these miners died on Wednesday after rocks fell on them during blasting.
Two weeks ago, seven suspected illegal miners were killed in Benoni, also on the East Rand. Their bodies were found in an open veld.