Johannesburg - A group of illegal miners, commonly known as zama zamas, had nowhere to run when police clamped down on their operation in Springs, Ekurhuleni, on Tuesday.
As part of Operation Fiela, which involves a large contingent of police officers targeting criminal hot spots, 28 illegal immigrants mining at disused mine dumps were arrested.
Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said the operation sought to target several informal settlements where gangs of illegal miners were suspected to have been hiding.
In Springs, equipment believed to have been used during illegal mining operations was seized during the raid.
This included three generators, nine steel pots, 11 steel plates and two bowls and 11 buckets containing gold dust. Hammers, gas bottles, garden spades and dangerous weapons were also found.
“A shebeen was also closed and thousands of litres of alcohol were confiscated,” said Dlamini.
A similar raid was carried out in the area last week, during which several firearms were seized.
This included an R1 rifle with 17 rounds of ammunition, as well as two 9mm pistols with 13 rounds of ammunition.
“These firearms are suspected to have been used to kill rival gangs and in attacks on law enforcement agencies,” said Dlamini.
The police’s intensive approach to combat illegal mining comes after a spate of violence between rival illegal mining gangs at Gauteng’s abandoned gold mines recently.
By mid-September, the death toll from the turf war between the gangs, fighting over territorial control over the mines, stood at 19.
Many of the casualties took place when a mob of zama zamas estimated to be about 500 opened fire at a rival group of about 200 miners at the Grootvlei gold mine in Springs.
The warring groups apparently used shotguns and rifles in the shoot-out.
In more gang warfare over mining rights in Carletonville this month, zama zamas exchanged gunfire with guards patrolling the Blyvooruitzicht mine.
This was after guards tried to chase them off the property.
Following the attacks, a task team comprising police and various role-players, including some from the mining industry, was formed.
Dlamini said the police would continue to monitor illegal mining hot spots.
“Police will continue with operations in the area while a team of detectives are looking for suspects who were responsible for killing several people in the area,” he said, adding that most of the victims had been identified as illegal immigrants.
@Karishma_Dipa
The Star