"We Knew They Were Coming": Wedela Zama Zamas Speak After Carletonville Tavern Massacre
- Police are searching for eight unidentified men who opened fire at Dora's Tavern in Wedela, killing 18 people
- Zama zamas operating in the area claimed rival illegal miners from a nearby settlement carried out the massacre
- The group said they fear another attack is coming and alleged that a spotter inside the tavern may have tipped off the gunmen
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Source: Getty Images
GAUTENG — Illegal miners operating in Wedela, Carletonville, have spoken out following a deadly shooting at Dora's Tavern in Extension 3, warning that they believe another attack could follow. The death toll from Saturday night's shooting has climbed to 18 after one victim succumbed to injuries in hospital.
Police are hunting eight unidentified men suspected of carrying out the attack. According to authorities, the group arrived at the tavern while patrons were inside and opened fire before entering the building and continuing to shoot. The suspects were reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols.
Zama zamas point to rival group
A group of zama zamas speaking outside the tavern claimed they believed competitors from an informal settlement near Carletonville were responsible for the attack. The men, who asked not to be named, said the two groups had clashed before and that they had anticipated further trouble.
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"We knew they were coming back to finish what they started, and unfortunately they caught us off guard on Saturday," they said.
The group also alleged that one of the tavern's patrons may have acted as a spotter, informing the attackers that three of their leaders were inside at the time. They claimed two of their members had been killed the previous month, and that following Saturday's shooting the group had been reduced to six people, including some of its leaders.
Police have not confirmed any motive, and the claims made by the group regarding a rival organisation, an alleged informant, or previous clashes have not been independently verified.
Community caught in the crossfire
The men expressed regret that ordinary residents were present during the attack. They said their group had been active in Wedela for over a decade and had built a relationship with the local community, and they feared the violence could now turn residents against them.
"It was wrong for them to attack us when we were with residents," they said, adding that they were concerned community members might call for their removal from the area.
The men said they were not lowering their guard following the massacre and feared another attack could be coming.
A multidisciplinary police investigation is underway to identify the eight suspects and establish what triggered the shooting.
Witness of the massacre in Dora's tavern speaks out
Briefly News also reported that a man whose home sits adjacent to Dora's Tavern in Wedela, Carletonville, has given a harrowing account of how gunmen repeatedly used his house as a staging point during the massacre that killed 18 people on the night of 26 September 2026. The witness reported that he was outside his home when a group of armed men forced their way inside. He immediately ran and hid under his bed. The man said the attackers came back three times into his house to reload their rifles being going back to the tavern to shoot the patrons.
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Source: Briefly News
