6 More Illegal Miners Killed in North West in Clash with Police and Hawks

• The Hawks in a joint effort with members of the Special Task Force clashed with illegal miners on Orkney on Wednesday night
• The incident left six illegal mineworkers dead and eight more injured after they fired shots at the police
• Law enforcement officials were able to arrest another 87 mineworkers as well as confiscate their equipment and vehicles

ORKNEY - In a joint operation, Special Task Force officials and the Hawks were involved in a shoot-out with illegal miners in Orkney, North West that left six people fatally shot and eight others with injuries.

The incident took place at an unidentified mining shaft.

According to News24, the Hawks and the Special Task Force were given a tip on Wednesday night that unlawful mining activity was taking place in Orkney.

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When they entered the mining shaft, the illegal miners reportedly opened fire on law enforcement officials. The police then returned fire on the unlawful miners, according to Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mohale.

eNCA reports that 87 men between the ages of 25 and 49 were apprehended during the raid and they are all expected to appear in the Orkney Magistrate's Court on Monday, 25 October.

The police managed to confiscate two minibuses, illegal mining equipment, gold-bearing material and 11 illegal guns.

This is the second deadly clash between the police and illegal miners in the North West in the month of October.

Mzansi reacts to the police raid on illegal miners

Briefly News takes a look at what South Africans had to say about the recent effort by the police to stop illegal miners:

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@SisingMelato5 said:

"This shows if the government has a will, illegal miners/zama zamas will be defeated. State is returning fire for fire. This is good news."

@Mnyamande171 said:

"Out of 101 people involved in illegal mining, how many are South Africans? It is a known fact that Zimbabweans and Lesotho nationals are culprits."

@EdStoddardZA said:

"Orkney is becoming hectic..."

Police shoot dead 6 illegal mineshaft workers in North West

Briefly News previously reported that the South African Police Services in the North West clashed with six illegal mineshaft workers which led to a deadly shootout.

The incident took place in Orkney on Wednesday and SAPS North West spokesperson in the North West Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone confirmed that the confrontation was between SAPS members and 35 unlawful miners.

Those arrested are facing charges of attempted murder, creating an explosion, intentional property damage and criminal conspiracy, according to IOL.

TimesLIVE reports that the clash between SAPS and the unlawful miners occurred when security personnel and police attempted to stop the miners from delivering food boxes to other illegal miners who were underground.

Source: Briefly News