sapsTimesLive reports that police and alleged “zama zamas” (illegal miners) exchanged gunfire on Tuesday after a raid at a disused mine off the R28 in Luipaardsvlei, Krugersdorp.

The culprits are alleged to have been men wearing Basotho blankets and thought to be illegal miners. Netcare 911 spokesperson Shawn Herbst said a man believed to be an illegal miner was shot dead after he allegedly pointed a gun at police. Herbst said multiple other zama zamas were injured trying to escape. Police spokesperson Lirandzu Themba confirmed the incident, saying the miners pushed back after the raid. Some were arrested. According to Themba, police minister Bheki Cele joined a team consisting of tactical response, Hawks, Crime Intelligence, the K-9 unit, Gauteng traffic police, Sibanye-Stillwater mining security and private security to tackle the illicit operations. Cele said during a police briefing that the shocking news over the weekend of eight young women having been gang-raped in Krugersdorp during a video shoot was 'the shame of the nation'.


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