Five bodies found in Riverlea after zama zama gunfight

The bodies of five suspected illegal foreign miners with gunshot wounds were discovered in the Riverlea area in Johannesburg on Sunday morning. 

Police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo said officers from the Tactical Response Team and Public Order Policing have been deployed to monitor Riverlea and the nearby Zamimpilo informal settlement.

"Preliminary investigation suggests that two rival groups of the illegal miners were shooting at each in the area, and that led to the death of five people," he said.

Earlier DA councillor James Lorimer said: “I’ve seen photos of four bodies. Various reports say there may have been four or six more killed. Twenty are reported to be shot as Riverlea’s zama zamas battle for control.”

Previously ward councillor for the area, Basil Douglas, told TimesLIVE the area was a virtual war zone, with constant gunfire between the illegal miners ringing out virtually daily. He said police were doing little about the conflict and the community was living in constant fear. 

Sunday’s attack was reported to be the result of another gun battle between different zama zama gangs in Riverlea.

Lorimer said residents reported men armed with automatic weapons moving through suburban areas and heavy gunfire. They say up to 20 people were shot.

“One resident says they treated a seriously wounded man and woman on the pavement outside their house while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Other residents say a man was shot and wounded and taken away by police,” Lorimer said.

“The DA calls on police to tell the public what they are doing about illegal miners in Riverlea. Until they do so, the belief will spread that police are too weak to tackle the gangs or else they are paid off to do nothing proactive about the centre of criminality that is Zamimpilo.” 

A few days ago Riverlea resident Ernest Mangena was killed by a stray bullet during a gunfight allegedly between illegal miners and the police. 

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