They will also be charged possession of illegal firearms and ammunition as well as illegal immigration, as they are suspected to be Lesotho nationals.
This is according to Const Nkemeleng Mabula of the Dawn Park police, who said some of the 18 suspects arrested were found hiding in the stream.
Four illegal miners were killed during a shootout with the police and 18 others were arrested in the early hours of November 23.
Const Vilosen Govender holding some of the explosives found at the scene.“The police recovered four firearms – a R1 rifle, a shotgun and two pistols, live ammunition and explosives. The last suspect was found just after 3pm, hiding in the stream,” she said.
The police believe that there is an open mine shaft in the area.
The incident took place in an open field called the “Water Land” near Boksburg Correctional Services.
According to Col Lungelo Dlamini of the Provincial SAPS, the shooting started in the early hours of Thursday after EMPD and SAPS members reacted to information about explosives which were being brought into the area for illegal mining.
An EMPD officer was also wounded in the face and taken to hospital for treatment.
Police patrolled the area the whole afternoon searching for other firearms suspected to have been thrown into a stream during the shooting incident.
“An inquest will be held into the deaths of the illegal miners, “ Dlamini said.
