Police are investigating two counts of murder and four counts of attempted murder following a shooting at the Zamimpilo informal settlement in Langlaagte early on Monday morning.
According to reports, more than 40 people were gathered outside a tavern drinking and socialising when three unknown suspects approached and opened fire without warning around 2-3am. Six people were shot in the incident. Two died at the scene, while four others were rushed to hospital for medical treatment. The suspects remain at large and the motive is still under investigation.
Riverlea community leader Theo Doyle described the shooting as part of the ongoing violence plaguing the area, linking it to turf wars between rival zama zama (illegal miners).
“This is not breaking news,” Doyle said. “This is the norm in Riverlea. This is what the community is facing on a weekly basis with regards to the illegal activity that is happening in this informal settlement.”
Doyle noted that the Zamimpilo informal settlement is heavily occupied by undocumented foreigners, with the majority being Zimbabweans and people from Lesotho. He said rival zama zama gangs frequently clash over territory, and innocent bystanders are sometimes caught in the crossfire.
“You will actually be correct with mentioning Zama Zamas because the informal settlement is infested with illegal miners,” Doyle stated. “There is no law and order in that informal settlement. We’ve made many calls to government but it fell on deaf ears.”
Doyle reported that zama zama operations continue day and night along Avon Street, which connects to Main Road near the Langlaagte police station. Residents regularly see miners crossing the road to access open mine shafts.
Regarding the deployment of the army, which was announced with significant funding, Doyle said visible presence was limited to an initial operation in Riverlea, Westbury, and surrounding areas that amounted to little more than a “fashion parade” with no concrete plan targeting hotspots or intelligence gathering.
“There’s no such thing as an army that’s on the ground,” he said. “They came once and that was the last [time].”
Doyle expressed scepticism about claims of behind-the-scenes intelligence work, noting the lack of engagement with community leaders and the continued shootings and criminal activity. He highlighted additional risks from underground blasting near gas lines and stray bullets striking homes, churches, and mosques.
Recent violence includes the deaths of two young boys in nearby Westbury. Doyle warned that if government departments do not act, the community may take matters into their own hands.
He called for intervention by Home Affairs to vet residents of the informal settlement, Human Settlements to relocate South African citizens, and joint action by police and the South African National Defence Force to clear the area, which he described as a source of havoc for the broader Riverlea community.
The abnormal, Doyle concluded, has been normalised in the area.