5 Men Shot and Killed in an Open-Cast Mine in North West
- The South African Police Service discovered five bodies at a mine in the North West on 22 August 2025
- The men were shot and killed at the mine located in Tlhatlaganyane, an area known for its open-cast chrome mining
- The police suspect the shooting may be related to riving mining operations and launched an investigation
Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.
Source: Getty Images
TLHATLAGANYANE, NORTH WEST — The North West South African Police Service is investigating a case of murder after the bodies of five miners who were shot and killed were found on 25 August 2025 in Tlhatlaganyane.
According to SABC News, the incident happened at an open-cast chrom mine near ASun City. The area is reportedly known for its chrome mining, and several small-scale operators have been granted licenses to mine. The police believe that he shootings could be related to rival mining operations.
The province's police spokesperson, Sabata Mokgwabane, said that the shootings have been investigated. Mokgwabane said that the Portfolio Committees on Home Affairs, Police, and Minerals visited the area after the local tribal authority repeatedly complained of illegal mining in the region.
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Illegal mining in South Africa
Three illegal miners were shot and killed in a shootout with the police in Sabie, Mpumalanga, on 28 November 2024. The police were patrolling the area when they spotted the miners. The illegal miners opened fire, and the police returned fire, killing them.
Approximately 1,000 illegal miners were arrested as part of Operation Vala Umgodi in Barberton, Mpumalanga, on 1 August 2025. The miners were operating at Sheba mine, and most of them are believed to be illegal miners.
The police arrested 28 illegal miners who resurfaced from Sheba Mine four days later. The police also arrested 24 illegal miners on 3 August during the operation. More than 500 miners appeared in court.
What did South Africans say?
Netizens on Facebook commented on the shooting.
Mlungis'Izwe Ngwenya saod:
"The country is burning if we don't see."
Mo RO Cco said:
"Lucky Dube once said South Africa is a crazy world. People die like flies."
Kuziwa Chifetete said:
"And you will hear women say I want my own man, yet we are dying every day."
Olwethu Ozman asked:
"How can the government issue a number of licenses to people to mine in the same area? They are promoting conflict."
Lefa Dee Ice said:
"Zama Zama business."
North West Health Department to bury 23 illegal miners
In a related article, Briefly News reported that the North West Department of Health is awaiting papers from the Department of Home Affairs to bury 23 unidentified illegal miners.
The bodies were part of the 78 corpses that were discovered in the province earlier this year. The bodies were handed over to their families, and most of them were foreign nationals from Lesotho, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
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Source: Briefly News
