Ramaphosa's army, police 'burn' foreign miners

South African security forces, including the police and army, have been accused of setting fire to an area where illegal miners, known as zama zamas, had taken refuge to avoid arrest. This incident reportedly led to the deaths of nearly a dozen miners, who either drowned or were scorched to death in a swamp near the Daggafontein Mine dump in Springs, east of Johannesburg.

The raid, part of the ongoing Operation Vala uMgodi aimed at curbing illegal mining activities, was conducted by the South African Police Services (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Forces (SANDF). Reports suggest that the security agents set the reeds in the swamp on fire to flush out the miners, then fired rubber bullets at those attempting to flee. However, the police have stated that the fire was ignited by "unknown people."

Following the fire, one man was declared dead at the scene, and eight others were hospitalized, with some in critical condition. The incident has sparked outrage among local communities, who accuse the security forces of deliberately causing the deaths. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has been called to investigate these allegations.

Survivors of the incident described the scene as a war zone, with many miners struggling to escape the flames and the swamp. Despite pleas for help, the miners claim the security forces showed little concern, leaving many to perish. The exact death toll remains unclear, but there are fears it could be higher than initially reported. Zimbabwean embassy officials have stated they were not aware of the incident.