Zim driver shot dead in SA

Four people were shot dead and another seriously wounded near an abandoned mine in Welkom on Thursday, police said.

Sergeant Puleng Motsoeneng said the car they were travelling in was attacked shortly after midnight in what appeared to be a robbery.

"The male driver, who was from Zimbabwe, was shot in the neck." The other four vehicle occupants, all women, were from Lesotho. Three of them had been shot in the head, while one of them was shot in the face and shoulder... She survived the shooting and is in a critical condition in hospital," Motsoeneng said.

A 9mm pistol without a serial number was found on the dead driver. Police suspect that the victims were hawkers who sold food to illegal miners at the St Helena mine.

"We believe an undisclosed amount of money was taken from the victims."

A case of murder, attempted murder and robbery was opened.