Zama zama wars: One shot to death and set alight
Florida police responded to reports of eight bodies in Roodepoort. On arrival they found one person killed and burned out.
One suspected illegal miner was killed and set alight during an apparent illegal mining (zama zama) turf war in Roodepoort.
Members of different security companies including Help24 and BCI Security, as well as members of the Florida police, rushed to the scene known as ‘the big shaft’ near Central Rand Gold just off Main Reef Road on Thursday morning, March 14. Police received an anonymous tip-off that eight bodies had been discovered at the site.
Upon arrival at the site, BCI Security’s operations manager Lionel Gafney launched a drone to survey the area, but could not see a body. Police and security officers explored the area on foot and discovered the charred remains of one person.
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Reinforcements were called in and police officers arrived in force. After a short briefing, they readied their firearms and tracked about 300 metres up a narrow path to the crime scene.
Information gathered from security officers on the scene indicates that the deceased was stationed as a lookout along the rim of the old mine shaft when he was shot and later set alight, most likely as a warning to the illegal miners that were at that stage presumably working inside the shaft. All indications at this stage are that it was one group of illegal miners attacking another.
Security personnel pointed out an area around one side of the rim of the shaft, of about 70 metres, that was ‘littered with casings’.
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Police would not speak to the journalists on the scene, and requested that no photos be taken.
The Roodeport Record approached both West Rand District Communications officers Captain Tsietsi Phora and Sergeant Kholo for information regarding this incident, but no reply has yet been received despite numerous phone calls and messages.
The Record has also spoken to Florida Police Station Commander Colonel Tsotetsi, who would not comment as illegal mining is dealt with at district level.
