According to the Carletonville police, the incident took place at East Driefontein’s 10 Shaft in the early hours of Thursday, 29 April.
A security guard was on duty at a storage area when a group of some 50 zama-zamas arrived and stormed toward the gate at about 01:00.
The guard immediately called mine security and made his way to safety.
The zamas pulled the gates open and had just grabbed two rolls of copper cable when security officers arrived.
The illegal miners shot at the security personnel with high-calibre firearms in an attempt to protect their loot. The security personnel shot back. The body of a man, suspected to be one of the illegal miners involved in the shootout, was later discovered next to the R500.
Police believe his accomplices had placed his body there to be found.
