zama zama

Galamseyers, illegal miners from Niger, work beside a pond close to Kibi town on 10 April 2017. Immigrants from Niger, Togo or Burkina Faso have arrived to work as gold miners on the Eastern region of Ghana. Photo: CRISTINA ALDEHUELA / AFP

Ekurhuleni: Bodies of suspected zama-zamas discovered in mining hole

Gauteng police say they managed to retrieve at least 15 bodies from a mining hole in Germiston, east of Johannesburg

zama zama

Galamseyers, illegal miners from Niger, work beside a pond close to Kibi town on 10 April 2017. Immigrants from Niger, Togo or Burkina Faso have arrived to work as gold miners on the Eastern region of Ghana. Photo: CRISTINA ALDEHUELA / AFP

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has confirmed that the bodies of more than a dozen people were found inside a mine hole at Homestead in Primrose, Germiston, east of Johannesburg.

For the moment, police suspect that the bodies are those of illegal miners who died after being trapped inside the mining hole. When authorities first addressed the incident, they said eight bodies were discovered and retrieved while several others were yet to be brought to surface.

“On 17 March 2022, the police were informed of alleged illegal miners who were trapped in the mine hole. Eight unidentified bodies were retrieved while it is suspected that there may still be more bodies trapped in the mine hole,” said Gauteng SAPS’ Colonel Dimakatso Sello in a brief statement at the time.

YOU CAN ALSO READ: Hawks kill six illegal miners and arrest 87 others after shootout in Orkney

AT LEAST 15 BODIES OF SUSPECTED ZAMA-ZAMAS FOUND

Sello than said in an updated statement that seven remaining bodies were retrieved on Saturday, 19 March 2022, bringing the number of suspected illegal miners who died to at least 15.

It isn’t clear exactly how the suspected zama zamas died. It comes just months after it was reported that several bodies of suspected illegal miners were discovered in different parts of Makause informal settlement, which is also in Germiston. In the recent years, parts of Ekurhuleni have seen warring factions of illegal miners shooting and killing each other.

In October 2021, the Hawks shot dead at least six suspected illegal miners during an intelligence-driven operation in Orkney, North West. They arrested at least 87 other suspects during that operation. The team seized two taxis, illegal mining paraphernalia, gold bearing material and 11 illegal firearms, including three shotguns, three rifles, four pistols and a single revolver, along with bags of food.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced recently that they are setting up a special unit in the SAPS to deal with crime in the mining sector, where illegal mining by zama zamas is taking over and causing much disruption.

YOU CAN ALSO READ: CHAOS: 300 illegal miners attack security, 30 arrested, six killed