Midlands Correspondent
GWERU – Three artisanal miners died and two others sustained serious injuries after a mine shaft collapsed in the Mandindi area near Sino Cement on Wednesday. Rescue teams fear more miners may be trapped underground as operations continue.
Gweru District Development Coordinator and Civil Protection Unit chairperson, Tarisai Mudadigwa, confirmed the tragedy.
“The bodies have been retrieved and taken for postmortem. Two victims were from a local village, while the third hailed from Chirumhanzu district,” he stated.
Eyewitness Account: “Broken Limbs and Trapped Miners”
Local resident Respect Taenzana, who assisted in rescue efforts, provided grim details:
“We pulled out five people – three were dead, and two had severe broken limbs. One victim was identified as Mangisi, a well-known miner here. Several others remain unaccounted for. The collapse was sudden, and the ground remains unstable.”
Ongoing Rescue and Risks
Emergency teams continue searching the rubble amid fears of additional casualties.
Artisanal mining, a critical but hazardous livelihood for many Zimbabweans, frequently faces such tragedies due to unsafe working conditions and lack of regulation.
Mudadigwa urged miners to prioritize safety protocols, emphasizing,
“These incidents devastate communities. We appeal for caution and adherence to mining guidelines.”
Broader Context
Zimbabwe’s artisanal mining sector supports thousands but remains plagued by accidents. In 2023, over 100 miners died in similar incidents nationwide, highlighting urgent needs for improved safety enforcement and support for vulnerable workers.
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