Business / Local
Illegal gold panners sneak into Vumbachikwe mine
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PLUS or minus 100 Illegal gold panners reportedly sneaked into Vumbachikwe mine this week where about 38 of them have reportedly been arrested with cases pending in the courts.
A local source revealed that the illegal miners were allegedly getting into the mine shafts in small groups amid indications they were paying some security guards and some management guys to allow them in.
Indications are that what triggered the exposure of the illegal invasion of the mine was a social media rumour that made rounds in the mining area that some illegal gold panners had been trapped and some killed in the mine shafts.
The source said police were then called to comb up the area and initially a few who came out were arrested.
"These indicated that there were many more who were still underground and the police had to camp at the exit to arrest them as they came out," the source said.
"After the first group came out, those who remained underground remained there and tried to use another exit point called BlackCat Exhaust to escape. Unfortunately, some of the police officers had laid ambush close to the point. This is a point that is not a human exit but is meant for contaminated air and fumes from underground to exit."
The source said the police arrested them and these arrests were made between Monday and Tuesday.
The source said following their arrest, the illegal panners asked to bribe the police officers with US$20.
"The police officers accepted the money and told them to go back into the shaft in the pretext they were now free to do what they wanted yet the police wanted to reinforce manpower after hearing that some of them were armed with guns," said the source.
He said police could not confront the panners underground after allegations they were armed.
"So when the police had reinforced the team, they called out the panners saying it's now ok you can come out and that is when they were arrested and forced into a police vehicle. In total around 38 people were arrested, some of them have even gone to court, and I am not sure what happened in the courts," said the source.
"No one was found dead underground but there were hundreds plus illegal gold panners from different places. Some as far as Shurugwi and some are said to be armed with guns."
The source said he was not sure if those who remained underground were still inside the shafts considering there are other exit points they could use to escape such as LongJohn Shaft, Blackcat Shaft, Black Ramp and Black Cat Exhaust.
"A person can be able to use these points to get out and I am not sure if they are still underground. The issue is that some of the security guards and some management officials are complicit in this. There is a rumour that they collect money from these panners to let them in. At some point one cage driver was caught red-handed by a security guard hoisting some panners into the shafts but that driver was never punished or fired for that because the management will also be involved," said the source.
The developments come a few days after various churches recently conducted a march and mass prayer services for the struggling families of former Vumbachikwe mine workers in Gwanda.
The prayer session came two years after the closure of the mine on November 8, 2022.
Over 1000 workers were rendered jobless.
Since its closure management has failed to reopen the mine and still fails to either pay the outstanding salaries of workers or to restore operations.
This has rendered many workers and their families destitute.
Pastors who organised the prayer meeting said most of the workers' families have remained in the mining compound as cases regarding their outstanding dues are still pending in the courts.
They said many of these families are struggling with life and some men have abandoned their wives and children.
The pastors said now many of the wives are into prostitution and some use company houses as brothels.
Pastors said after noticing the plight of the families, churches organised the prayer meeting to ask for God's intervention and save the families.
They also prayed for the reopening of the mine for workers to get back their jobs.
Zion Church Pastor, Lovemore Dube said they asked for police clearance before they conducted the March and prayer.
He said they heard the cries and pain that people at Vumbachikwe are having and planned the prayer session.
"Some households have been destroyed because some men have abandoned their wives and children. Children's school fees are no longer being paid because there is no money," he said.
"Our theme was "If My people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray, I shall hear them in Heaven".
He said about 30 different churches participated in the march and prayer.
"We marched based on Joshua 6 verse 7, which says ‘Then God instructed the Israelites that they should go and march around Walls of Jericho and they rounded it six times and the walls collapsed'. We were also destroying the walls that we cannot see, but we knew they were principalities, powers and rulers responsible for the problems," Dube in an audio sent to us said.
He said they marched from Blanket Mine to Vumbachikwe, around Vumbachikwe and ended at Long John Stadium, where they conducted prayers and preached the word of God.
"Our message was from Exodus 3 verse 7 to 11, which says 'I have heard in Heaven, then I will come down and rescue you'. It was talking about the Israelites who were in bondage in Egypt," he said.
He bemoaned the suffering faced by people at the mine, adding that some are now selling their bodies to survive.
Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe Pastor, Mibaf Dube said they prayed for the Vumbachikwe community that is facing challenges.
He said they realized the suffering of the people and decided to conduct a mass prayer and also give a message of hope to them.
"Most of the men have gone and left their wives and children and life is not good at all," he said.
A local source revealed that the illegal miners were allegedly getting into the mine shafts in small groups amid indications they were paying some security guards and some management guys to allow them in.
Indications are that what triggered the exposure of the illegal invasion of the mine was a social media rumour that made rounds in the mining area that some illegal gold panners had been trapped and some killed in the mine shafts.
The source said police were then called to comb up the area and initially a few who came out were arrested.
"These indicated that there were many more who were still underground and the police had to camp at the exit to arrest them as they came out," the source said.
"After the first group came out, those who remained underground remained there and tried to use another exit point called BlackCat Exhaust to escape. Unfortunately, some of the police officers had laid ambush close to the point. This is a point that is not a human exit but is meant for contaminated air and fumes from underground to exit."
The source said the police arrested them and these arrests were made between Monday and Tuesday.
The source said following their arrest, the illegal panners asked to bribe the police officers with US$20.
"The police officers accepted the money and told them to go back into the shaft in the pretext they were now free to do what they wanted yet the police wanted to reinforce manpower after hearing that some of them were armed with guns," said the source.
He said police could not confront the panners underground after allegations they were armed.
"So when the police had reinforced the team, they called out the panners saying it's now ok you can come out and that is when they were arrested and forced into a police vehicle. In total around 38 people were arrested, some of them have even gone to court, and I am not sure what happened in the courts," said the source.
"No one was found dead underground but there were hundreds plus illegal gold panners from different places. Some as far as Shurugwi and some are said to be armed with guns."
The source said he was not sure if those who remained underground were still inside the shafts considering there are other exit points they could use to escape such as LongJohn Shaft, Blackcat Shaft, Black Ramp and Black Cat Exhaust.
"A person can be able to use these points to get out and I am not sure if they are still underground. The issue is that some of the security guards and some management officials are complicit in this. There is a rumour that they collect money from these panners to let them in. At some point one cage driver was caught red-handed by a security guard hoisting some panners into the shafts but that driver was never punished or fired for that because the management will also be involved," said the source.
The developments come a few days after various churches recently conducted a march and mass prayer services for the struggling families of former Vumbachikwe mine workers in Gwanda.
The prayer session came two years after the closure of the mine on November 8, 2022.
Over 1000 workers were rendered jobless.
Since its closure management has failed to reopen the mine and still fails to either pay the outstanding salaries of workers or to restore operations.
This has rendered many workers and their families destitute.
Pastors who organised the prayer meeting said most of the workers' families have remained in the mining compound as cases regarding their outstanding dues are still pending in the courts.
They said many of these families are struggling with life and some men have abandoned their wives and children.
The pastors said now many of the wives are into prostitution and some use company houses as brothels.
Pastors said after noticing the plight of the families, churches organised the prayer meeting to ask for God's intervention and save the families.
They also prayed for the reopening of the mine for workers to get back their jobs.
Zion Church Pastor, Lovemore Dube said they asked for police clearance before they conducted the March and prayer.
He said they heard the cries and pain that people at Vumbachikwe are having and planned the prayer session.
"Some households have been destroyed because some men have abandoned their wives and children. Children's school fees are no longer being paid because there is no money," he said.
"Our theme was "If My people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray, I shall hear them in Heaven".
He said about 30 different churches participated in the march and prayer.
"We marched based on Joshua 6 verse 7, which says ‘Then God instructed the Israelites that they should go and march around Walls of Jericho and they rounded it six times and the walls collapsed'. We were also destroying the walls that we cannot see, but we knew they were principalities, powers and rulers responsible for the problems," Dube in an audio sent to us said.
He said they marched from Blanket Mine to Vumbachikwe, around Vumbachikwe and ended at Long John Stadium, where they conducted prayers and preached the word of God.
"Our message was from Exodus 3 verse 7 to 11, which says 'I have heard in Heaven, then I will come down and rescue you'. It was talking about the Israelites who were in bondage in Egypt," he said.
He bemoaned the suffering faced by people at the mine, adding that some are now selling their bodies to survive.
Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe Pastor, Mibaf Dube said they prayed for the Vumbachikwe community that is facing challenges.
He said they realized the suffering of the people and decided to conduct a mass prayer and also give a message of hope to them.
"Most of the men have gone and left their wives and children and life is not good at all," he said.
Source - Byo24News
