Spirit medium stops operations at Zimbabwe gold mine

Mining operations at Renco Mine were halted for two days due to concerns following warnings from a local spirit medium. The medium had forewarned of potential worker fatalities if specific demands were not met by the mine management.

According to sources within the mine, the spirit medium advised that clearing all salary arrears and performing an appeasement ceremony were necessary for the mine's productivity. The medium's demands were reportedly not addressed in time, leading to the suspension of operations.

Efforts to contact General Manager Taurayi Nyamukondiwa for comment were unsuccessful, as he was not reachable by phone. However, it is understood that the mine has been engaged in discussions with local traditional leaders to resolve the situation.

Headman Muchibwa, whose real name is Maduviko Manyise, confirmed the situation but deferred further details to his spokesperson, Maseko Manyise. Maseko stated that the issues at the mine were discussed with the authorities and that a resolution had been reached, allowing workers to return to their jobs.

"There were issues at the mine which we believe the authorities are better positioned to address. However, we had a productive meeting that led to the workers resuming their duties. We are now focused on preventing similar issues in the future," said Maseko.

He elaborated that traditional practices, which had been neglected, were being revived as part of addressing the concerns raised by the spirit medium.

"Traditional rituals and ceremonies, once common, had been forgotten but are now being reinstated. The ancestors are speaking through the younger generation, which some may find difficult to understand, but we are addressing it," Maseko added.

Sources revealed that the mine had been struggling to meet traditional expectations, which they believe contributed to their recent challenges.

The spirit medium, who had been silent for years, had reportedly warned the mine three months ago to pay workers and perform appeasement rituals to ensure productivity. Failure to comply was predicted to result in adverse events, which coincided with a recent fatality at the mine.

The medium had specifically warned that if workers went down the mine on September 9, it would be at their own risk. This led the mining department to refuse to work unless management led the way.

According to reports, the mine experienced its lowest production in recent history last month. The medium's warnings seemed to materialize when the bow mill in the plant area malfunctioned on September 3 and only resumed operation in the afternoon of September 9, with difficulty. The production fell to less than two grams, an unprecedented low.

Another source indicated that the mine was in the process of clearing salary arrears up to June, with July and August salaries still outstanding.