Residents in Primrose, Germiston, are living in fear due to almost daily shootouts between rival groups of illegal miners working in old gold shafts. The violence has escalated to the point where bullets are striking homes and cars in nearby blocks. The centre of the conflict is the area surrounding the Simmer and Jack landfill site.
The Primrose Ratepayers Association chairperson, David-Hutch Barr, said the latest shootout occurred on Sunday night and lasted until about 11pm. He lives about 300m away from the conflict area and has to ensure his family is in one room when shooting starts. Barr said the community is asking for a visible, coordinated, and sustained law enforcement response to address the issue.
Another resident, Janet Gerretsen, said the recent night of heavy gunfire lasted about 45 minutes, with AK-47s and R1 rifles being used. She has recordings of the incident and said the shooting has been ongoing for about four years. Gerretsen said people have had bullets go through their cars, windows, and carports, and several residents have asked for the army to be deployed to restore safety.
Resident and community patroller Juan Joubert said the problem has been ongoing for a long time but has worsened. He said gunfire is now heard almost daily from about 5pm into the evening. Joubert said parents are worried about their children's safety, and residents are afraid to move around their neighbourhoods.
The chairperson of the Primrose community policing forum, Tracy Enslin, said the fighting is a turf war between hundreds of illegal miners over shafts at the old Simmer and Jack mine. She said the battles can rage for up to five hours, with gunfire moving across the dump and over the N3 freeway. Enslin said two schools are close to the area where the shootings occur.
Enslin said the community policing forum's volunteers patrol and pass on reports but are not trained or equipped to deal with armed criminal groups. The CPF is calling for the SANDF to be deployed for at least three months, the department of mineral resources and energy to seal the illegal shafts under military protection, and to disarm, arrest, and deport the syndicates.
In a recent operation, SAPS spokesperson Lt-Col Isaac Mudau said Germiston crime prevention officers responded to a shooting complaint at the dumping site on November 4. He said the illegal miners started shooting at the officers, and the tactical response team was called in as backup. Mudau said no injuries were reported, and no suspect had been arrested.
Key points
- The community is seeking a visible, coordinated, and sustained law enforcement response to address the issue.
- The conflict has resulted in damage to properties, with sinkholes causing cracks in walls and swimming pools.
- The CPF is calling for the deployment of the SANDF for at least three months to restore safety.
