Gauteng govt condemns death of man killed in shootout between police, criminals in Riverlea

JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng government has condemned the death of a man who was killed during a shootout between police and armed criminals in Riverlea, south of Johannesburg.

The incident took place at the Zamimpilo informal settlement on Tuesday evening, an area notorious for illegal mining.

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Fifty-nine-year-old Jerome Lottering was coming back from work when he was struck by a stray bullet.

While it's unclear whether the armed criminals were suspected illegal miners, government spokesperson Mawande Ndongeni said the incident demonstrated the violent threat of illegal mining.

"Community members are called to cooperate with authorities and report criminal activities that take place in their areas. Members of the public must not take the law into their own hands but should work with law enforcement and allow due process to unfold.

"Government commends the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to clamp down on illegal mining operations which continue to pose serious threat to public safety and infrastructure."