South Africa police find 4 dead in abandoned mine after newspaper accuses guards of killings

JOHANNESBURG – JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Police in South Africa say they have discovered four bodies deep in an abandoned mine, after a Johannesburg newspaper reported that guards at the mine owned by relatives of Nelson Mandela and President Jacob Zuma shot and killed illegal miners.

Police spokeswoman Col. Noxolo Kweza said rescuers recovered one corpse and were trying to bring three others to the surface Thursday. Kweza said police could not yet confirm the four had been shot and were investigating reports in The Sowetan newspaper they were shot Monday by guards.

The mine east of Johannesburg is owned by Zuma's nephew Khulubuse Zuma and Mandela's grandson Zondwa Mandela. The two are embroiled in a pay dispute with mineworkers they inherited from several mines they bought from an insolvent company.