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6 illegal miners killed at Mazowe Mine
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Six illegal miners were killed and four others seriously injured at Mazowe Mine in Mashonaland Central on Friday when a hoist pulling them to the surface failed, sending them crashing 45 meters down an abandoned shaft.
The accident occurred around 10AM, highlighting the deadly risks associated with illegal mining in dormant shafts. The mine, formerly owned by Metallon Gold and now under Namib Minerals, has not been operational since 2018.
According to an incident report, the miners had descended into the shaft at approximately 7PM on July 17 in search of gold. Tragedy struck during their ascent with ore, when the hoist malfunctioned, plunging the miners down the shaft.
The deceased have been identified as Milton Trust Ngonzwe (24) from Nyanga, Sebastian Dzaingwa (33) from Sanyati, Tawanda Nyandoro (41) from Gokwe, Edger Magenya (30) from Kwekwe, Elvis Kasaira (38) from Mutoko, and Abel Majangara (25) from Buhera. The four survivors sustained severe injuries, including broken bones, deep cuts, and bruises, according to the report.
Mazowe Mine has become a hotspot for illegal mining, with abandoned shafts overrun by artisanal miners despite previous court orders and government directives to vacate the site. In February last year, the mine secured a court order prohibiting illegal mining activities, followed by a government directive in April ordering illegal miners to leave after three others were killed in a similar hoist failure.
The mine's owners have expressed frustration over continued police inaction, warning that more lives could be lost if the authorities fail to enforce the law. Only last week, three murders linked to illegal mining activities were reported at the mine.
Namib Minerals, which recently signed an agreement with Metallon Gold, says it plans to invest US$300 million to revive operations at Mazowe Mine, which includes Redwing and Jumbo mines. The company hopes the investment will restore formal mining activity, create jobs, and bring an end to the dangerous illegal operations currently claiming lives.
The accident occurred around 10AM, highlighting the deadly risks associated with illegal mining in dormant shafts. The mine, formerly owned by Metallon Gold and now under Namib Minerals, has not been operational since 2018.
According to an incident report, the miners had descended into the shaft at approximately 7PM on July 17 in search of gold. Tragedy struck during their ascent with ore, when the hoist malfunctioned, plunging the miners down the shaft.
Mazowe Mine has become a hotspot for illegal mining, with abandoned shafts overrun by artisanal miners despite previous court orders and government directives to vacate the site. In February last year, the mine secured a court order prohibiting illegal mining activities, followed by a government directive in April ordering illegal miners to leave after three others were killed in a similar hoist failure.
The mine's owners have expressed frustration over continued police inaction, warning that more lives could be lost if the authorities fail to enforce the law. Only last week, three murders linked to illegal mining activities were reported at the mine.
Namib Minerals, which recently signed an agreement with Metallon Gold, says it plans to invest US$300 million to revive operations at Mazowe Mine, which includes Redwing and Jumbo mines. The company hopes the investment will restore formal mining activity, create jobs, and bring an end to the dangerous illegal operations currently claiming lives.
Source - Zimlive
