llegal miners whose fellow zama zamas were among those killed in Wedela mass shooting have offered to help police identify perpetrators.
Kloof Gold Plant 1 at Westonaria has been identified as the source of conflict behind the Wedela tavern shooting that left 18 people dead. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
Illegal miners whose fellow zama zamas were among those killed in the Wedela mass shooting have offered to help police identify and arrest the alleged perpetrators.
The zama zamas said they feared further violence in the area unless those responsible for the shooting were arrested.
Zama zamas fear further violence in Wedela
The shooting near Carletonville on the West Rand on 26 September left 18 people dead and more than 10 people injured, including women and children.
The Citizen tracked down several illegal miners who claimed to have information about the suspected attackers and the motive behind the violence.
One of the miners said they were living in fear because several of the alleged attackers had not yet been arrested.
He also claimed an alleged group leader had been arrested in Lesotho, although this could not independently be confirmed.
“Remember, that man is a former soldier in the Lesotho Defence Force and is well known to many high-profile people, so it will be easy for him to walk free,” he said.
The miner said they were prepared to cooperate with the police and provide information that could assist investigators.
‘We know who they are’
“We know who they are and why they attacked us, but we are worried that they also killed community members,” he said.
“If the police can give us a chance to tell them what we know about the suspects, all of them will be arrested.
“But the police must promise us we will not be arrested during our interaction with them.”
The miner claimed the conflict involved rival groups of illegal miners operating around Wedela and Carletonville.
“We are from Lesotho and most of them are also from Lesotho. The reason we contacted you is that we are now living in fear and the community is also terrified,” he said.
“The reason they attacked here is because we work in different groups. We are the Wedela group and they are based somewhere near Carletonville on the West Rand. The dispute started after they tried to force us out of the area where we had been mining.”
Similar incidents happened before
He said similar incidents had occurred in Wedela before, but the number of people killed in the latest shooting had heightened concerns.
Another zama zama said seven of their members were among those killed in the attack. He called on police to engage with them before further violence erupted.
“We are not scared of them, but our worry is that they injured innocent people,” he said.
He claimed the rival group had more money and could bribe officials, making it difficult for them to seek justice. He warned continued delays in arresting the alleged perpetrators could lead to retaliation.
“If the police delay arresting them, we will be obliged to retaliate,” he said.
“Our wish is that they must be detained in South Africa because we believe they crossed the border into Lesotho after carrying out these attacks.”
Blood still visible on street near tavern
During The Citizen’s visit to Wedela this week, blood was still visible on a street near the tavern where the shooting took place.
A woman was also preparing to relocate, saying her family no longer felt safe in the area.
“It is not the first time killings have happened here, but this time it is too much. I have already rented a room in a neighbouring township,” she said.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi declined to elaborate on the investigation. She would also not be drawn on the zama zamas’ offer to police, only saying “it would jeopardise the investigation”.
