News / Regional
Makorokoza clubbed to death by a rival gang
19 May 2014 at 08:13hrs | Views
A man was clubbed to death by a rival gang of illegal gold miners as they clashed over a disused mine in Hope Fountain on the outskirts of Bulawayo.
Langton Ncube, 21, died on Wednesday night after a group of 12 illegal gold miners popularly known as amakorokoza allegedly ganged up and attacked him while in search of the precious metal.
Ncube was with four colleagues when the 12 ambushed them as they came out of the mine shaft.
Speaking at his burial yesterday, his grandfather Keith Ncube said he was angry at the unwarranted death of his grandson.
"This is very bad, the death of my grandson is not justifiable. Everybody knows that the mine does not belong to anyone. We're in shock as to why they viciously attacked him," said Ncube. He called on the authorities to ensure the killers are brought to book.
"People who did this to my grandson must face the full wrath of law. I was disturbed when the postmortem report stated that he died as a result of a mine accident and I had to correct it," he said.
Fundani Sibanda, a cousin to the late Ncube and a fellow gold miner, said they were attacked by a group of 12 rival miners while working in a shaft last Wednesday.
"We were mining at Government Farm near Old Bulawayo when a group of 12 people attacked us with logs, metal rods and barbed wire," said Sibanda.
He said three of them were inside the shaft while two were outside when the rival gang pounced.
The two who were outside the mine reportedly ran away leaving the three at the mercy of the attackers.
"They hit us as we came out of the shaft. Ncube was hit on the head and he fell back into the shaft," said Sibanda.
According to Sibanda the group retrieved Ncube before tying the trio's hands and thereafter assaulted the three all over their bodies using metal rods and logs.
"When they realised that they had killed Ncube they forced us to carry his body to their compound where I managed to escape and call the police," said Sibanda.
Addressing the mourners, the local councillor Alexander Gasela condemned violence and said the law should deal severely with murderers.
Weighing in, the local headman Siphambaniso Ncube, said gold should improve locals' lives instead of sparking fights that end up claiming people's lives.
There are reports that eleven supects have since been arrested.
Mike Ncube who once operated the disputed mine, said no one had papers to claim ownership of the mine.
"I once worked at that mine. The mine does not belong to anyone and as a result people from as far as Mberegwa and Shurugwi districts are coming to pan for gold there." he said.
Efforts to get comment from the police in Bulawayo were fruitless.
Langton Ncube, 21, died on Wednesday night after a group of 12 illegal gold miners popularly known as amakorokoza allegedly ganged up and attacked him while in search of the precious metal.
Ncube was with four colleagues when the 12 ambushed them as they came out of the mine shaft.
Speaking at his burial yesterday, his grandfather Keith Ncube said he was angry at the unwarranted death of his grandson.
"This is very bad, the death of my grandson is not justifiable. Everybody knows that the mine does not belong to anyone. We're in shock as to why they viciously attacked him," said Ncube. He called on the authorities to ensure the killers are brought to book.
"People who did this to my grandson must face the full wrath of law. I was disturbed when the postmortem report stated that he died as a result of a mine accident and I had to correct it," he said.
Fundani Sibanda, a cousin to the late Ncube and a fellow gold miner, said they were attacked by a group of 12 rival miners while working in a shaft last Wednesday.
"We were mining at Government Farm near Old Bulawayo when a group of 12 people attacked us with logs, metal rods and barbed wire," said Sibanda.
He said three of them were inside the shaft while two were outside when the rival gang pounced.
The two who were outside the mine reportedly ran away leaving the three at the mercy of the attackers.
"They hit us as we came out of the shaft. Ncube was hit on the head and he fell back into the shaft," said Sibanda.
According to Sibanda the group retrieved Ncube before tying the trio's hands and thereafter assaulted the three all over their bodies using metal rods and logs.
"When they realised that they had killed Ncube they forced us to carry his body to their compound where I managed to escape and call the police," said Sibanda.
Addressing the mourners, the local councillor Alexander Gasela condemned violence and said the law should deal severely with murderers.
Weighing in, the local headman Siphambaniso Ncube, said gold should improve locals' lives instead of sparking fights that end up claiming people's lives.
There are reports that eleven supects have since been arrested.
Mike Ncube who once operated the disputed mine, said no one had papers to claim ownership of the mine.
"I once worked at that mine. The mine does not belong to anyone and as a result people from as far as Mberegwa and Shurugwi districts are coming to pan for gold there." he said.
Efforts to get comment from the police in Bulawayo were fruitless.
Source - chronicle
