Police are investigating whether the mass shooting that left 12 people dead in Cleveland, Johannesburg, on Tuesday evening was linked to competition over illegal mining operations in the area.
The attack at Jumpers Informal Settlement, located about 6km east of the Johannesburg city centre near abandoned gold mines, has raised suspicions of a turf war between rival illegal mining groups.
Gauteng provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni told reporters at the scene that the proximity to illegal mining operations was a key line of inquiry. “As you know, this area is adjacent to the illegal mining area. We are having those suspicions,” he said.
“One can term this incident to be insane, to be heartless and to an extent, it is barbaric,” Mthombeni added.
Around 10 attackers arrived in a white Toyota Quantum minibus at the settlement shortly before midnight on Tuesday, entering through both access points before opening fire on residents at multiple locations. Eight men and three women died on the scene, while an additional male victim died later in hospital. Nine others were wounded.
Local ward councillor Neuren Pietersen, who visited the scene, said the attackers first opened fire on a shack built over an informal mine shaft before moving on to nearby taverns. “It looked like a well-planned ambush that was very targeted,” Pietersen was quoted as saying.
Following the attack, authorities removed equipment believed to be linked to illegal mining activities from the area.
Mthombeni revealed that police had swept the area three weeks ago, confiscating guns and ammunition for AK-47 rifles and arresting three people.
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Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the suspects allegedly moved through the settlement, opening fire on residents and community members before fleeing in the same vehicle.
Illegal mining has become an entrenched presence around Johannesburg and its satellite settlements along the gold reef. The clandestine artisanal miners, known as zama zamas, which means “those who try” in Zulu, descend deep into gold-bearing shafts abandoned by mining companies. The practice has been linked to organised crime, assassinations, extortion and other illegal activities, drawing people from across southern Africa.
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A resident told local media that people from neighbouring Lesotho lived in the settlement.
In December, nine people were killed in a similar mass shooting linked to rivalry between illegal mining gangs when gunmen opened fire at a bar in the Bekkersdal township southwest of Johannesburg.
In March, soldiers were deployed to violence hotspots in Johannesburg to support police efforts to tackle rampant crime, which President Cyril Ramaphosa has described as one of the biggest threats facing the country.
Acting national commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane has deployed additional specialised resources, including members from Forensic Services and Tactical Response Teams, to investigate the incident. A multidisciplinary task team will work around the clock to trace the suspects and the vehicle.
No arrests have been made.
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