Police in Johannesburg arrested three suspected illegal miners and seized an AK47 rifle and ammunition in Bosmont on Friday.
This is the same area where six bodies of illegal miners were discovered last week.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Sello said officers followed-up on information about illegal mining activities in Bosmont carried out by heavily armed suspects.
“This is the area where six bodies of suspected illegal miners were found about two weeks ago. The operation, under the command of Sophiatown police station commander Brigadier Bonginkosi Ndebele, led to the arrest of three men and recovery of one rifle.”
Illegal miners are also referred to as “zama zamas.” Recent spate of violence around old mine shafts has led to increased police operations to fight illegal mining mostly carried out by heavily armed gangs.
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Bosmont residents believe that the six bodies discovered near the Maraisburg N1 highway offramp were as a result of infighting among the zama zamas.
The community alleged that there had been an influx of zama zamas in the area, who allegedly travel through an underground network of tunnels.
Bosmont CPF officer Faried Domingo said zama zamas have been a problem in the area for more than a year.
“The zama zamas have been [here] in excess of a year. The main problem over the past five to six weeks is the situation has spread and it has become more intense.
“We have gunshots ringing through the night,” said Domingo.
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