Zimbabwe Communist Party pained by Mazowe mine shaft collapse

The Zimbabwe Communist Party (ZCP) has expressed its condolences to the families of four young men who lost their lives in a shaft collapse at Mamini, Umsasa Farm, in Mazowe. The victims, identified as Alton Sibanda, Prince Gobvu, Kenneth Mhandire, and Tapiwa Meskano, were artisanal miners whose deaths have once again highlighted the dangers faced by small-scale miners across the country.

In a statement, the ZCP described the tragedy as a painful reminder of the harsh conditions under which many Zimbabweans pursue livelihoods in the mining sector. The party said the disaster underscored the government's failure to enforce safety standards and protect vulnerable workers.

"This tragedy once again exposes the failure of government and mine operators to uphold safety standards in the mining sector," the ZCP said, warning that repeated calls for safety inspections should not remain rhetorical but be enforced through clear regulations, regular monitoring, and strict accountability.

The party also criticised the government's short-term approach to resource exploitation, noting that illegal mining, poorly regulated operations, and reckless excavation had not only claimed lives but also damaged rivers, tributaries, and ecosystems. Such disregard for environmental protection, it said, undermines sustainable development.

Calling mining one of Zimbabwe's most critical economic drivers, the ZCP urged authorities to implement reforms that place workers, communities, and the environment at the centre of economic planning. It said national resources should be managed transparently and sustainably for the benefit of current and future generations.

The party further called on government to enforce safety standards in all mining operations, formalise and monitor artisanal mining, strengthen environmental protection, and develop a national mining policy guided by sustainability and accountability.

"The lives lost in Mazowe must not be in vain," the ZCP said. "They must serve as a wake-up call for urgent, principled action. Zimbabwe cannot mortgage its future by allowing negligence, expediency, and carelessness in one of its most important sectors."