KAGISO residents went to the streets on Thursday, 4 August, to barricade Main Reef Road with stones and burning tyres in protest.
The said the protest was over the failure of officials to close unused mines in the area.
As they allegedly became violent and started throwing stones at the police, they started shooting at them with rubber bullets. And this saw some of them running for their lives.
The angry residents said illegal miners, known as zama zamas, needed to leave.
“Police are stopping us from protesting to the mines. Our plan was to march to the mines close by. We wanted to go to Mathole and the one in Extension 7,” said Neo Thole.
“We want them gone. They are torturing us, raping and killing people while nothing is being done. They even break into our houses when we’re sleeping. We are not safe,” the resident said.
Residents also said not so long ago, zama zamas went to a tavern in Tshepisong and took cellphones from patrons.
“Then last week, they invaded Kagiso Mall with a Quantum, took phones from shops and robbed residents of their belongings.”
