By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Two illegal miners have been shot and killed during a protracted two-hour shootout with South African Police Service (SAPS) in Carletonville, West of Johannesburg on Sunday.
According to SAPS, members of the National Intervention Unit from Pretoria acted on intelligence regarding heavily armed illegal miners operating in the Blyvooruitzicht area.
Police arrived at the scene at around 04:00, prompting the suspects to flee while blowing whistles to alert others in the area. A shootout then ensued between the police and the illegal miners.
Two suspects were fatally wounded during the exchange, while four others were arrested.
Police recovered one AK-47 rifle, two 9mm pistols and ammunition at the scene. A state-owned vehicle was also damaged during the incident.
No police officers were injured. Investigations are ongoing.
In a separate incident, Gauteng South African Police Service (SAPS) Provincial Illegal Mining Stabilisation Team intercepted a Maroon Toyota Corolla sedan in Bekkersdal, West Rand District, early this morning, Sunday, 08 February 2026.
At around 00:00, while patrolling around Sporong informal settlement and Bekkersdal areas, police stopped the vehicle and found three occupants. A search revealed three AK47 rifles wrapped in blankets in the boot, and one suspect was found with ammunition.
The three suspects were arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
The suspects will appear in court soon. Investigation is continuing.
South Africa’s unemployment rate currently sits at 32.9%. The result is that for many young men, the choice comes down to earning nothing legally or risking death for income underground.
The country’s 6 000 abandoned mines create physical opportunities for this trade. Mining companies closed these sites over decades, but shafts were illegally reopened by zama zamas exploiting the remaining resources.
Criminal syndicates recognised the vacuum and filled it with their own operations, complete with financing, equipment, security, and market access.
Enforcement gaps compound the problem while South African law contains ambiguities about what constitutes illegal mining and what artisanal mining.
Authorities also lack the resources to monitor the territories where these operations flourish. Illustrating the point: In the first quarter of 2024 alone, law enforcement documented 581 new illegal mining cases.
This represents a 241% increase from 2023. The numbers tell a story of systems overwhelmed. Cross-border dynamics add another layer of complexity. Many zama zamas come from Lesotho, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, seeking work unavailable in their home countries.