Zimbabwe govt offices moved for fear of collapse

Illegal gold mining operations have led to the decommissioning of an office complex in Kwekwe that houses critical government departments. These mining activities, taking place beneath the complex, have created structural risks, prompting this action.

The affected offices include those of the District Development Coordinator, the Civil Registry, the District Development Fund, and the civil courts. Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Owen Ncube announced that the affected departments should seek alternative accommodation while the government looks for a long-term solution. Minister Ncube conveyed this decision during a meeting with district heads at his offices on Tuesday.

"We have received a report recommending the decommissioning of the buildings, so we must vacate the premises immediately. The affected departments need to secure alternative accommodations before the rainy season begins," he stated.

Kwekwe District Development Coordinator, Mr. Fortune Mupungu, explained that the complex's decommissioning was prompted by a recent study conducted by the Zimbabwe National Geo Special and Space Agency (ZINGSA), which revealed significant damage to the building foundations.

"Our offices in Kwekwe are essentially suspended in the air," he remarked. "We must vacate the premises. However, the ZINGSA report has been submitted to our superiors in Harare, and we anticipate receiving a response shortly. In the meantime, we need to find emergency housing for our staff."

In March of this year, an underground gold mining incident caused a classroom at Globe and Phoenix Primary School to collapse with students inside, leading to the decommissioning of the school. The government is now tasked with constructing a new school, and in the interim, students are using tents as makeshift classrooms.