Bulawayo24 News - Skyes! "it makes perfect sense"

Violence breaks out at Vumbachikwe Mine as panners fight over gold

Violence broke out at the Vumbachikwe Mine in Gwanda on Tuesday morning, where illegal gold panners who are now the order of the day were fighting over gold.Since the closure of the mine in November 2022, the mining shafts have become site…

Published: 24 Jul 2025 at 14:45hrs | 1016 | by Stephen Jakes

Bulawayo gold panners turn Cecil Pit into crime zone

The Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) has issued a serious security alert to its students and staff, warning them to exercise extreme caution following a surge in illegal gold panning activities near the Bulawayo City Council pit, located adj…

Published: 14 May 2025 at 12:31hrs | 648 | by Staff reporter

Court evicts miners from Kuruneri's farm

High Court judge Justice Christopher Dube-Banda has ordered the eviction of miners engaged in gold mining activities on Ascotvale Farm in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central, following a legal challenge by Paidamoyo Kuruneri, widow of the late for…

Published: 05 Dec 2024 at 06:53hrs | 331 | by Staff reporter

Guard shoots at marauding illegal gold panners, 1 dead

Tragedy struck at a gold mine in Guruve on Thursday when 33-year-old Titus Masango was shot dead amid a violent confrontation involving a gang of illegal gold panners. The incident, confirmed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), has rais…

Published: 27 Oct 2024 at 12:31hrs | 433 | by Staff reporter

Panners wreak havoc in Gwanda

Residents of Gwanda in Matabeleland South have raised serious concerns about the adverse effects of increasing artisanal mining activities, which have led to environmental damage, livestock deaths, and hindered the town's expansion efforts…

Published: 11 Sep 2024 at 09:16hrs | 387 | by Staff reporter

Chief pleads for more police deployments as illegal miners wreak havoc

Chief Khulumani Mathema of Gwanda North has called on the government to deploy additional police personnel to his community to address the rising violence associated with illegal mining activities.Chief Mathema reported that illegal miners…

Published: 09 Sep 2024 at 08:18hrs | 199 | by Staff reporter

Over US$2 000 collected as BCC, police raid gold panners

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has reported that it collected over US$2,000 in fines for environmental violations across its jurisdiction and water catchment areas, according to its latest minutes addressing environmental issues and land degr…

Published: 10 Jul 2024 at 07:48hrs | 2 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners invade Bulawayo suburbs

GOLD panners have invaded Bulawayo causing environmental degradation in two of its suburbs, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has said.The illegal gold panners have caused environmental degradation in Queens Park East and Emhlangeni suburbs.…

Published: 11 Mar 2024 at 11:33hrs | 5 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners dig under the Beitbridge-Gwanda Highway

MOTORISTS using the Beitbridge-Gwanda Highway have expressed concern over a huge crack which has appeared at the 141km peg.The crack is believed to have been caused by gold panners who have reportedly burrowed under the highway.A social me…

Published: 10 Jan 2024 at 05:53hrs | 5 | by Staff reporter

Bulawayo City Council pounces on gold panners

BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has declared war on gold panners in Esgodini, collecting US$2 000 in fines in the process.According to latest council minutes on the Parks Section monthly report, a joint operation between BCC rangers and police…

Published: 08 Jan 2024 at 05:33hrs | 14 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners wreak havoc in Bulawayo

BULAWAYO municipal police have arrested 140 illegal miners since January for panning for gold near the city's water bodies, causing massive siltation.This is revealed in the council's environmental issues report that includes degradation o…

Published: 14 Nov 2023 at 04:48hrs | 14 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners wreak havoc in Matebeleland South

CHIEF Jahana of Matebeleland South province has expressed concern over illegal gold miners who are terrorising villagers in the province.In an interview with Southern Eye recently, the traditional leader said efforts to rope in the police …

Published: 24 Apr 2023 at 07:50hrs | 2 | by Staff reporter

Sandra Ndebele-Sibindi contesting in Zanu-PF primary elections

14 pupils injured after sinkhole opens up in classroomFourteen pupils at a Kwekwe school were treated for injuries on Thursday after a sinkhole opened up in the middle of their classroom â€“ the consequence of illegal underground mining by…

Published: 16 Mar 2023 at 16:08hrs | 3 | by Staff reporter

Bulawayo council, police joint operation nets 200 panners at supply dams

At least 201 illegal gold panners were arrested in 2022 during a joint operation by police and city rangers to curb the vice around the city's water supply dams.This is contained in the Bulawayo City Council's latest minutes."Joint patrols…

Published: 12 Feb 2023 at 07:19hrs | 1 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners wreak havoc at school

KWEKWE's Globe and Phoenix Primary School is under siege from illegal gold panners who are randomly digging within its premises, forcing the institution to decommission some of its classroom blocks.It is reported that the illegal miners ha…

Published: 06 Dec 2022 at 05:06hrs | 1 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners besiege Kwekwe monuments

GOLD panners have invaded three historical monuments in Globe and Phoenix, Kwekwe, leaving the properties facing possible collapse.The illegal miners have been digging tunnels and pits at the Paper House, where Rhodesia founder Cecil John …

Published: 08 Nov 2022 at 05:10hrs | 3 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners impose curfew

RESIDENTS of Esigodini in Matabeleland South province are living in fear of suspected illegal panners who are  terrorising them and have reportedly imposed some form of a â€˜7 pm curfew' in the area.The suspected illegal gold miners w…

Published: 07 Oct 2022 at 05:55hrs | 2 | by Staff reporter

Police arrest 112 gold panners in Bulawayo

BULAWAYO City Council (BCC), in conjunction with the police, the Environmental Management Agency (Ema) and the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority have since January this year arrested 112 illegal gold panners.This wa…

Published: 08 Jul 2022 at 07:37hrs | 1 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners dig up school premises

Kwekwe Central MP Judith Tobaiwa (Citizens Coalition for Change) has called on authorities to take action against gold panners  causing environmental degradation at a primary school in the gold mining city.School buildings at Globe an…

Published: 18 Jun 2022 at 07:29hrs | 2 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners blamed for pupils' pregnancies

GOLD panners are wreaking havoc in Ntabazinduna, Umguza District in Matabeleland North, where they have been blamed for impregnating pupils and making them school drop-outs, with one school recording over 30 pregnancies on opening day.In a…

Published: 18 Mar 2022 at 05:35hrs | 3 | by Staf reporter

Gold panners prey on sex workers

MACHETE-WIELDING gold panners in the Midlands province are reportedly terrorising commercial sex workers, beating them up and refusing to pay for services rendered.Women rights groups say some of the daring gold panners break into sex work…

Published: 08 Jan 2022 at 06:06hrs | 14 | by Staff reporter

Gweru MP berates food politicisation

OPPOSITION MDC Alliance Gweru urban legislator Brian Dube has spoken out against food politicisation in the province amid economic hardships facing many regardless of political affiliation.Dube condemned politicians who politicise food aid…

Published: 30 Dec 2021 at 07:54hrs | 13 | by Staff reporter

Zimbabwe crafting own graft perception index

THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) says it is developing a local corruption perception index (CPI) after global rankings by anti-occupation watchdogs showed that graft was endemic in the country.Transparency International CPI r…

Published: 30 Dec 2021 at 07:54hrs | 11 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners wreak havoc in Esigodini

gold panners have reportedly wreaked havoc in Esigodini, Umzingwane district in Matabeleland South province, leaving unclaimed pits that pose a danger to human lives.Esigodini is well known for rich gold deposits which have seen gold wars …

Published: 30 Dec 2021 at 07:54hrs | 15 | by Staff reporter

Panners encroach onto Bulawayo- Gwanda Highway

ILLEGAL gold miners have encroached onto the Gwanda-Bulawayo Highway, posing a risk to motorists and passengers. Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights coordinator Khumbulani Maphosa said they were worried that gold panningalong the highw…

Published: 19 Jul 2021 at 06:46hrs | 2 | by Staff reporter

Govt must extend vaccination programme to artisanal miners

ARTISANAL miners are challenging the government to extend the Covid-19 vaccination programme to outlying areas where thousands of people make a living through gold panning.Several players in the gold mining sector have revealed that it is …

Published: 17 Apr 2021 at 16:19hrs | 1 | by Staff reporter

Illegal gold panners unleash reign of terror in Mat South, Mberengwa

GOLD panners have unleashed a reign of terror in Malungwane Village in Umzingwane District, Matabeleland South attacking villagers with axes, machetes and knobkerries. The development has seen the community members sleeping in maize fields…

Published: 27 Mar 2021 at 09:09hrs | 1 | by Lovemore Dube

Gold panners invade Bulawayo suburb

RESIDENTS of Queens Park East in Bulawayo have expressed concern over the emergence of omakorokoza panning for gold on the suburbs' outskirts, saying their presence is a threat to the peace and social fabric in the area.The invasion of the…

Published: 21 Feb 2021 at 06:58hrs | 1 | by Staff reporter

BCC deploys rangers to stop gold panning in Umzingwane

THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has deployed rangers to drive out poachers and illegal gold miners from Umzingwane Dam catchment area as they are causing siltation.There is rampant and uncontrolled gold panning in most catchment areas arou…

Published: 18 Feb 2021 at 05:48hrs | 1 | by Arthur GO Mutambara

Gold panners swept by floods while parked on river bank

AN illegal gold panner was found dead while his colleague is missing after they parked their vehicles on the banks of Mazowe River in-PFungwe before they were swept away by floods.Police in Mutawatawa managed to retrieve the body of Norman…

Published: 12 Dec 2020 at 07:00hrs | 1 | by Staff reporter

57 000 gold panners arrested

Almost 57 000 gold panners, including machete gangs and other criminal elements, have been arrested in mining communities countrywide since January under the ongoing "Operation Chikorokoza Ngachipere" and "No to Machete Gangs". Machete gan…

Published: 12 Dec 2020 at 06:51hrs | 15 | by Staff reporter

Police blitz nets 54 000 panners

POLICE have intensified a crackdown on illegal activities throughout the country, with over 54 513 illegal miners nabbed under a blitz code named Operation Chikorokoza Ngachipere/Isitsheketsha Kasiphele.Police spokesperson Assistant Commis…

Published: 05 Nov 2020 at 06:27hrs | | by Staff reporter

Panners dig up Chiadzwa graves

Cheeky illegal diamond miners have reportedly invaded and dug up some graves in search of the precious stone in Chiadzwa. This came out during a meeting of traditional leaders in Chiadzwa last week. The leaders ordered the illegal miners t…

Published: 01 Sep 2020 at 07:46hrs | 2 | by Staff reporter

Sex panners invade mines

After finding the going tough in the city, sex workers have devised a new way of survival as they have invaded mining areas in a bid to eke out a living as some of them were now failing to pay rent and even to buy food.The life of sex work…

Published: 29 Aug 2020 at 16:43hrs | 2 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners a threat to Bulawayo water sources

GOLD panning in and around Bulawayo's supply dams is posing a serious threat to the environment and damaging water supply pipes, the city council has said.Bulawayo mayor Solomon Mguni told stakeholders and residents on Wednesday that the l…

Published: 06 Jul 2019 at 10:10hrs | 3 | by Staff reporter

$100 bail for murder accused gold panners

FOUR gold panners suspected to be part of a mob that allegedly attacked a 35-year-old man from Gwanda before he was later found dead by a passerby, have been each granted $100 bail pending trial by the High Court. Andria Chibakuwa, Thandol…

Published: 27 Feb 2019 at 06:33hrs | 2 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners jailed 25yrs for gruesome murder

BULAWAYO High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi has said the courts are tired of the surge in gruesome murder cases perpetrated by gold panners who do not show remorse or respect for the sanctity of human life.Sentencing two gold panne…

Published: 31 May 2018 at 07:08hrs | | by Staff reporter

2 gold panners die as mine collapses

Two gold panners from Goromonzi died last week when a mineshaft collapsed at Jongwe Farm.Police last week said the duo was among 10 gold panners who were trapped in the eight-metre-deep shaft when its walls gave in.Zimbabwe Republic Police…

Published: 11 Apr 2018 at 06:59hrs | | by Staff reporter

Heavily armed police in 2hr stand-off with angry mob

A GWANDA gold panner (24) was fatally stabbed in a dispute over a sex worker yesterday and armed police had to be called to rescue his "murderer" from street justice following a two-hour stand-off against an angry mob.The suspect Tungamira…

Published: 07 Feb 2018 at 06:42hrs | | by staff reporter

Gold panner stabbed 7 times struggling for life

A 34-YEAR-OLD suspected illegal gold panner is battling for life after he was stabbed seven times when rivals attacked him during a gold mine wrangle in Fort Rixon.Anele Ncube of New Eclipse Mine, Shangani, was stabbed and pelted with ston…

Published: 25 Nov 2017 at 06:08hrs | | by Staff reporter

Gold panners, Cops in shootout - 1 dead

SUSPECTED illegal gold panners armed with machetes, swords and a pistol went on the rampage in Silobela yesterday, savaging revellers and exchanging gunfire with police in a melee that left one person dead and several others injured.Violen…

Published: 08 Jul 2017 at 08:17hrs | | by Staff reporter

Gold panners fuel child prostitution

GOLD panners in Silobela, Midlands Province are allegedly fuelling child prostitution by targeting school-going children, teenage sex workers and child-headed families.This emerged at a meeting on Thursday at Fatima High School. The meetin…

Published: 14 May 2017 at 14:58hrs | 2 | by Staff reporter

Makorokoza 'ring leader' arrested

POLICE in Kwekwe have arrested a suspected gold panners' ring leader who is accused of killing a fellow panner last year during a fight of rival groups of panners.Likhwa Ngwenya (23) who was arrested last Friday is suspected to have killed…

Published: 23 Jan 2017 at 05:51hrs | 1 | by Staff reporter

Twenty arrested over Inyathi bloody tribal clashes

ABOUT 20 gold panners have been arrested in Inyathi following violent clashes involving rival gangs.Clashes at Senco Night Club, Mahamba Business Centre at about 11PM on Saturday saw some patrons being attacked with machetes, knives and st…

Published: 20 Jan 2017 at 05:35hrs | 1 | by Staff reporter

Gold panners invade graveyard

A group of illegal gold miners have invaded Norton Town cemetery, where they have dug trenches just a few metres from the graveyard. The group is reportedly working under the auspices of Zanu-PF activist Sheila Mabasa, popularly known as Y…

Published: 21 Oct 2013 at 06:07hrs | | by Staff reporter

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