Police recovered a cache of rifle ammunition following a shootout with armed illegal miners in the early hours of Thursday morning, February 12, in Westonaria.

Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said officers received a tip-off from a private security company deployed at a mine in the area, reporting that about 100 illegal miners were moving towards the mine plant.

Members of the Public Order Police were immediately dispatched. As officers approached the scene, the suspected illegal miners allegedly opened fire using automatic rifles, prompting police to return fire.

“As we were advancing towards the illegal miners, we found a bag containing 75 rounds of AK-47 rifle ammunition,” Masondo said.

He added that the incident follows arrests made the previous day, Wednesday, February 11, during operations aimed at stabilising the West Rand District and dismantling illegal mining activities.

Two suspects, both aged 30, were arrested after being found in possession of suspected stolen cables and a water pump valued at thousands of rands. Police also seized 26 bags of gold-bearing material and 42 steel pendukas believed to be used in illegal mining.

Masondo said illegal mining has been closely linked to violent crime in several parts of Gauteng, particularly in the West Rand, where syndicates often operate from abandoned mine shafts and informal settlements.

“Law enforcement agencies have repeatedly identified that these networks are frequently armed, posing a serious threat to public safety and police,” he said.

The recovery of the ammunition forms part of intensified policing operations in the region aimed at dismantling illegal mining syndicates and removing unlicensed firearms and ammunition from circulation.

Masondo stressed that such operations are critical in reducing the proliferation of illegal weapons and ensuring the safety of surrounding communities.

Authorities have also urged community members to continue providing information that may assist police in identifying and prosecuting those involved in illegal mining and related violent crime.