According to the police in Carletonville’s communication officer, WO Peter Masooa, police members were busy patrolling the area when the incident took place on 2 October at around 15:00. The police were driving near the old gold plant when they suddenly came across a group of illegal miners.
The zama-zamas at first threw stones at the police before running away. They returned, however, and ran up to the police with picks and spades.
When the police shot at them with rubber bullets, the zama-zamas returned fire with live ammunition.
One of the police members was forced to take out his service pistol and fired three warning shots to defend himself.
Following this the police managed to arrested four of the illegal miners, a woman and three men, for trespassing on the property.
