3 Zama Zamas Shot and Killed in Shootout With Mpumalanga SAPS

• The South African Police Service got into a fatal shootout with illegal miners in Mpumalanga
• The police were conducting routine patrols in Sabie in Mpumalanga when the zama zamas reportedly attacked them
• The officers shot back, and three miners were fatally wounded, while one police officer was shot in the leg

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered criminal activities, police investigations, police shootouts and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

SABIE, MPUMALANGA — Three alleged zama zamas were shot and killed during a shootout with members of the South African Police Service.

Zama zamas killed in Mpumalanga

According to SABC News, the miners engaged the officers in Sabie in Mpumalanga on 28 November 2024. The officers conducted a routine patrol around one of the mines in the area. The zama zamas suddenly opened fire and a shootout ensued.

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The officers shot back, and in the ensuing chaos, one officer was shot in the leg. Three zama zamas were fatally shot. The police then recovered two AK47 rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition. The police have opened a case which the Independent Police Investigative Directorate will investigate.

SA salutes SAPS

Netizens on Facebook applauded the police.

Geelboy Berg said:

"Very good from our SAPS team."

Janet Sneyd said:

"This illegal mining thing is escalating out of control."

Joe Zama Thomas said:

"May they rest in peace even though they did not live in peace."

Andrew Shakespeare Mosotho said:

"Well done to Mpumalanga SAPS and other law enforcement officials."

Chetheme Given Makgopa said:

"Our constitution must change so that criminals are not priorities."

Ernest Erniey Bambo said:

"Well done, our law enforcement."

Foreign nationals among zama zamas arrested

In a related article, Briefly News reported that members of the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force arrested several suspected illegal miners. The joint operation raided an abandoned mine in Mpumalanga, and Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Mozambican nationals were arrested during the raid.

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Hawks swoop on suspected ATM robbers in Mpumalanga: Fatally wound 5, recover firearms and explosives

South Africans called for the arrested zama zamas to face the full might of the law for the crimes they allegedly committed.

Source: Briefly News