Gunfire Erupts Again at Deadly Crocodile River Mine as Rival Zama Zamas Clash
A busy stretch of one of Mpumalanga's most important routes was shut down this morning after rival gangs of illegal miners turned their weapons on each other in a fierce gun battle.
The well-known Schoemanskloof route between Machadodorp and Mbombela was closed after the shootout between the rival groups of illegal miners, known as zama zamas. The two groups attacked each other with AK-47 assault rifles, among other weapons, at around 08:30 on Tuesday morning.
The shooting happened at a notorious zama zama digging site on the Crocodile River at Mashobotho, near the Montrose junction of the N4. It is currently unknown whether the incident resulted in any injuries or deaths.
For anyone who follows what happens in this valley, the violence will come as no surprise. According to a reliable source with in-depth knowledge of the situation, infighting between illegal miners operating in the kloof has left tensions running high for the past few weeks. The men who dig for gold in these hills have been at each other's throats, and this morning that anger boiled over into open gunfire once again.
A site with a bloody history
This is not the first time bullets have flown at this exact spot. During a shootout on 28 August, at least four people were killed at the very same digging site. But the true number of dead may be far worse than the official record suggests. Unconfirmed figures from residents living in the kloof suggest the death toll from that day could be much higher, with some claiming as many as 23 people may have lost their lives.
The police in Ngodwana, however, could only confirm the four killings from that earlier clash. The gap between what residents are saying and what the police can confirm has left many people in the area uneasy, unsure of just how dangerous the situation has truly become.
Roads shut and traffic diverted
The gun battle brought serious disruption to travellers on the N4. According to Solange Soares, spokesperson for TracN4, the operators of the N4 toll road, the road was closed to traffic at the Montrose junction and the Crossings junction near Machadodorp. Traffic was diverted on the N4 past Ngodwana while the situation was brought under control.
The road has since been reopened, but the danger is far from over. Police remain on the scene, and motorists are being strongly encouraged to avoid the road for now, as it is unclear whether yet another fight could break out. Drivers who had planned to use the route this morning were left with little choice but to find another way around.
Police treat it as an active crime scene
Moeti Musi, spokesperson for the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, said the police were on the scene of the shooting and that it was being treated as an active crime scene. That means the area remains sealed off while officers do their work and try to piece together exactly what happened.
Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, spokesperson for the police in Mpumalanga, confirmed that the police were still on the scene. She could not confirm if anyone had been killed in this latest round of violence.
Farmers on edge
For the farming families who live and work in the Schoemanskloof, every burst of gunfire is a reason to worry. Lara Terblache, chairperson of the Schoemanskloof Farmers' Association, confirmed that none of the farmers in the kloof were affected by or threatened during the attack.
But she made it clear that those living closest to the mining site have every reason to be nervous. "Farmers closer to the delving side obviously are more concerned," she said.
Her fears are grounded in hard experience. "During the shooting in August, rifle bullets were picked up in farms more than 2km from the scene," she said. That detail alone shows just how far the danger can travel when these gangs open fire, putting innocent people at risk even when they are nowhere near the actual fighting.
For now, the police stand guard at the Crocodile River, the road is open but watched, and the people of the kloof are left wondering whether the peace will hold or whether the guns will speak again.