News24 reports that three alleged illegal miners, known as zama zamas, were shot dead and 14 others were arrested following a shootout with police in Boksburg on Monday morning.  

A fourth man also died, although the circumstances are unclear and he "possibly died of shock".  A post-mortem will be conducted.  Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said police officers and members of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police (EMPD) had been following up information on people who were heavily armed near the Angelo informal settlement in Boksburg.  "On reacting to information, a confrontation between them and the suspects resulted in a shootout.  Police officers were not injured," Dlamini said.  Four rifles, a pistol and explosives suspected to be used by illegal miners were seized.   According to Dlamini, it was the second incident in three months in the same area in which police were involved in a shootout with suspected illegal miners.

Read this report by Iavan Pijoos in full at News24

Read too, Police get into deadly gunfight with zama zamas, at The Star

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page