Protest erupts in Riverlea a day after discovery of 5 bodies of ‘illegal miners’

Protest action has erupted in Riverlea, Johannesburg a day after the bodies of suspected illegal foreign miners were discovered in the area.

Five men sustained fatal gunshot wounds, with police linking it to a shootout between two rival groups of illegal miners. 

Gauteng police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo confirmed officers from the tactical response team and public order policing have been deployed to monitor Riverlea and the nearby Zamimpilo informal settlement.

Videos emerged on Monday morning showing traffic disruption in the area when residents blocked the main road with rocks and burning tyres. 

Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Xolani Fihla confirmed the protest action in the area and said it was due to illegal mining activities.

"Main Reef Road was blocked at the Commando Road and New Canada Road intersection and caused some traffic disruptions," he said.

"It is alleged the horseshoe community from Riverlea is protesting against illegal mining activities happening in the area, especially the gunfights which have left the community living in constant fear. The situation is tense and officers have been deployed," he said.

Fihla confirmed the road closures affected traffic in and out of the area.

Ward councillor Theo Doyle confirmed the protests were linked to the ongoing issue of illegal mining in the area.

"On Saturday it was havoc, it was a war zone. The shooting went on for more 30 minutes.

"What's going on here is an injustice to the residents of Riverlea. They are crying out to government but there's been no intervention. The shooting was bad. On Sunday morning four bodies were picked up in Riverlea and 16 in New Canada, all of them zama zamas," he said.

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