Machete gangs terrorise Esigodini villagers

Villagers in the Esigodini area of Umzingwane district, Matebeleland South province, are living in fear due to the presence of machete-wielding artisanal miners who are terrorizing the communities.

This gold-rich district has long been attractive to artisanal miners who engage in violent turf wars, and villagers often find themselves caught in the middle.

Chief Gwebu, the traditional leader of Umzingwane, has called on State security agents to increase their presence in the area to help curb the rising violence and gold-related conflicts caused by artisanal miners.

"We are asking the police to assist us in dealing with gold panners who carry weapons and are sometimes under the influence of drugs," Chief Gwebu explained. "Engaging them in negotiations to stop carrying weapons in public is difficult because they are often uncooperative."

The artisanal miners are also leaving a trail of destruction, including open pits that pose a danger to humans, wildlife, and domestic animals.

"This puts the lives of villagers and their livestock at risk. We will try all possible means to gather these individuals and encourage them to stop engaging in such behavior," Chief Gwebu added.