Yesterday evening at approximately 18:00 members of the South African Police Service National Intervention Unit (NIU) were involved in a skirmish with a group of suspects resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries.

The unit, acting on information on the possible proliferation of guns, pulled over a minibus with a group of male occupants in the Benoni area in the East Rand. This group apparently consisted of illegal miners (aka Zama Zamas) and their so-called "protectors".

Immediately after stopping the suspect vehicle, a shootout ensued resulting in one NIU member being shot and wounded. The policeman is reported to be in a stable condition.

Six suspects were also shot during the shootout but one died a short while later while five of them were taken to hospital under police guard.

The unit also arrested a further six suspects and recovered five handguns. The recovered firearms will be sent for ballistic testing to establish if they were used to commit other crimes.

 

Issued by South African Police Service