11 Arrested in South Africa Tavern Shooting That Killed 10, Linked to Illegal Mining Gangs

When will the gunfire in South Africa fall silent? Police have arrested 11 suspects, many believed to be undocumented miners, in connection with a tavern shooting that left 10 people dead near Johannesburg. The incident casts a harsh light on the nation's deep-rooted problems with illegal mining and rampant gun violence.

The Arrests and Investigation

Police in South Africa announced they arrested 11 people on Wednesday after raiding two houses outside Johannesburg. Among those arrested were nine citizens of Lesotho and one from Mozambique. The arrests are linked to Sunday's shooting where about a dozen gunmen targeted a tavern in the township of Bekkersdal, killing 10 and wounding 10 others.

Police said they found the suspects with unlicensed firearms, including four handguns and an AK-47 rifle. Fred Kekana, acting provincial commissioner, told reporters that cartridges found at the shooting scene were of the “same type” as ammunition seized during the arrest. The items were sent for testing to confirm if they were used in the shooting.

'Zama-Zamas' and the Shadow Economy

Townships west of Johannesburg, like Bekkersdal, are surrounded by abandoned mine shafts and are notorious for illicit mining operations. These undocumented miners, known as “zama-zamas”, have fueled problems including gang violence and the proliferation of illegal firearms. The trade is believed to be predominantly controlled by migrants who enter without papers from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

Authorities also arrested a South African mine employee who faces charges for harbouring undocumented tenants. Separately, local media reported that the pub’s owner, Nonesi Matwa, was charged on Tuesday with fraud and operating an illegal liquor outlet. The owner’s family told the media that Matwa was being unfairly targeted, stating she was not the one who “pulled the trigger and killed the patrons”.

A Nation Under Siege by Violence

With almost 26,000 homicides in 2024, or more than 70 per day on average, South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. Although the nation has comparatively stringent gun control laws, officials said many killings are carried out using illegal firearms.