News / National
Four gold panners trapped to death
09 Feb 2013 at 06:05hrs | Views
FOUR illegal gold panners were trapped to death in Penhalonga last Thursday after a mine tunnel they were working in collapsed and buried them alive.
Four other panners who were in the same shaft managed to escape.
The incident happened in Saungweme mountain at around 2pm. The survivors were rescued by a Redwing Mine's rescue team and the bodies of those who died were also retrieved.
The names of the dead are Joshua Gacha (24) of 13H Old West Penhalonga, Michael Chapeta (28) of Kariwo Homestead, Tsvingwe Primary, Moses Chikwara (26) of 1842 Hobhouse 1 Mutare and Virimayi Maguhore (28) of 438 Tsvingwe New Stands.
They have since been buried at their respective rural homes.
One of the survivors - Joseph Chikunguru (36) of 2AB Tsvingwe Township - blamed the disaster on two unidentified men.
"We were organised, queuing to get an opportunity to get into the shaft when two strange looking men clad in white T-shirts and black trousers came and claimed to be police officers.
"We all shivered and tried to run away but they calmed us down. I was confident enough to ask them to identify themselves, which they never did.
"We all believed them and they produced a bunch of United States dollars and ordered a few of us to get into the tunnel and dig out a bag of gold ore. Myself, Moses (the late) and two others joined four other panners who were already inside to do what they had instructed us to do.
"We managed to get a bag for them and before we came out, the shaft collapsed.
Four of us were trapped in the tunnel and I was rescued by other panners as well as the Redwing Mine rescue team.
We usually do this (illegal mining) but something was really wrong that day. The day was just cursed. It's a miracle to be alive because I never thought I would survive.
"The day was just strange. The two "police officers" stood still while others were helping us out before the police came and arrested them".
Illegal gold panning is rife in Penhalonga with the police frequently engaged in running battles with illegal panners who are refusing to leave the gold rich area which stretches into Mozambique.
Four other panners who were in the same shaft managed to escape.
The incident happened in Saungweme mountain at around 2pm. The survivors were rescued by a Redwing Mine's rescue team and the bodies of those who died were also retrieved.
The names of the dead are Joshua Gacha (24) of 13H Old West Penhalonga, Michael Chapeta (28) of Kariwo Homestead, Tsvingwe Primary, Moses Chikwara (26) of 1842 Hobhouse 1 Mutare and Virimayi Maguhore (28) of 438 Tsvingwe New Stands.
They have since been buried at their respective rural homes.
One of the survivors - Joseph Chikunguru (36) of 2AB Tsvingwe Township - blamed the disaster on two unidentified men.
"We were organised, queuing to get an opportunity to get into the shaft when two strange looking men clad in white T-shirts and black trousers came and claimed to be police officers.
"We all shivered and tried to run away but they calmed us down. I was confident enough to ask them to identify themselves, which they never did.
"We all believed them and they produced a bunch of United States dollars and ordered a few of us to get into the tunnel and dig out a bag of gold ore. Myself, Moses (the late) and two others joined four other panners who were already inside to do what they had instructed us to do.
"We managed to get a bag for them and before we came out, the shaft collapsed.
Four of us were trapped in the tunnel and I was rescued by other panners as well as the Redwing Mine rescue team.
We usually do this (illegal mining) but something was really wrong that day. The day was just cursed. It's a miracle to be alive because I never thought I would survive.
"The day was just strange. The two "police officers" stood still while others were helping us out before the police came and arrested them".
Illegal gold panning is rife in Penhalonga with the police frequently engaged in running battles with illegal panners who are refusing to leave the gold rich area which stretches into Mozambique.
Source - MP
