Johannesburg – At least 79 suspects have been arrested in the volatile Riverlea area, where illegal miners – known as “Zama Zamas” have unleashed terror on residents with their nightly armed clashes between rival gangs.
Several guns and bullets were also recovered.
One resident was recently fatally caught in the crossfire while returning from work.
National SA Police Service Spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said operations in Riverlea began on Tuesday.
Brigadier Muridili on Thursday said some of the arrested suspects were thought to be from Lesotho.
“Sixty-nine suspects are undocumented persons, one for possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition, the other one for possession of ammunition, five for possession of suspected stolen property, and three for common assault,” said Brigadier Muridili.
“The police have also seized an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, explosives, gas cylinders, gold bearing sand, alcohol from an illegal shebeen, among other things.”
Brigadier Muridili said the police operations will continue until Riverlea’s illegal mining activities have been stabilised.
Earlier this week Riverlea community activist, Ulinda Lotz, told EWN that Zama Zamas had “completely taken over” the area.
She said residents had been living in the crossfire of illegal mining groups for the past two months.
In the latest incidents, five people were killed in what’s believed to have been a shootout between two rival Zama Zama gangs at the weekend.
In another development, Brigadier Muridili said the police in the West Rand, Fochville, acted on intelligence and arrested four Basotho Nationals for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
“During the arrest, the police seized an AK-47 rifle, with a lot of ammunition, and four handguns also with an assortment of ammunition,” said Brigadier Muridili.
