JOHANNESBURG - Five bodies, believed to be illegal miners, have been found in Riverlea and nearby Zamimpilo Informal Settlement in Johannesburg.
Police say they responded to a shooting in the area where the bodies were discovered with gunshot wounds.
Preliminary investigations suggest that two rival groups of illegal miners were shooting at each, which led to the fatalities.
Police have deployed members from the Tactical Response Team and Public Order Policing to monitor the area.
A case of murder, with five counts, has been opened.
Accounts from locals and videos on social media suggest gangs of men armed with automatic weapons moved through suburban areas to the sound of continuous automatic gunfire.
Police are calling on anyone with information that could help with investigations to come forward.