Many illegal miners, known as zama zamas, are said to have drowned or burned to death in a swamp next to the Daggafontein mine dump in Springs after a police raid on Monday morning.
The raid – part of the ongoing Operation Vala uMgodi tackling illegal mining nationwide – involved police and SANDF officers who reportedly set the reeds in the swamp on fire to force the miners out of hiding.
The police shot at the fleeing miners with rubber bullets.
Illegal miners who spoke to Scrolla.Africa at the scene said two of their colleagues were badly burned, and two died.
They said more than 500 illegal miners were at the site during the raid.
A survivor, who didn’t want to be named, described the scene as something out of a war movie.
“The soldiers wanted to kill us, and they succeeded. I’ve been an illegal miner since 2007, but I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said.
The survivor said his swimming skills helped him escape. He explained that most of the swamp is mud, with only a small part being water and reeds.
“When the fire spread, we wrapped our arms with jackets and tried to float to safety,” he said.
He also said that those stuck in the middle of the swamp either burned or drowned.
“We begged the soldiers to call for help, but they didn’t care. Even when the police came back yesterday, they didn’t bring divers or search the swamp for bodies,” he said.
Another survivor escaped by hiding inside a tree trunk.
“I stayed there until it was dark and safe to come out. Unfortunately, my brother wasn’t as lucky. He got third-degree burns on his face and upper body,” the survivor said.
On Tuesday, nearby residents called the police to say they heard screams from the swamp.
SAPS Gauteng spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza said they searched the area on Tuesday but didn’t find anyone or see signs of distress.
“The search was stopped at 11pm because it was too dark and dangerous. We will keep an eye on the situation,” she said.
