MUTARE – An illegal miner was trapped to death on Monday, while
another escaped unhurt after a rock fell
in a mine shaft in Chakohwa, Chimanimani district.
Manicaland Police Spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa on
Wednesday confirmed the death Zondai Muyambo (38) from Chakohwa
business centre under Chief Mutambara in Chimanimani.
Kakohwa said police struggled to retrieve the trapped body of Muyambo
for a day and only managed to retrieve it on Tuesday.
Innocent Chitembwe (19) from Tsvigwe area in Penhalonga who was in the
company of Muyambo escaped unhurt.
Kakohwa, however urged artisanal panners miners to stop engaging in
illegal mining activities to safeguard their lives.
The incident comes after shortly after 26 illegal miners died three weeks ago when interlinked shafts and tunnels at two mines in Battlefields in Kadoma were flooded after the collapse of a dam wall
due to heavy rains received in the area.
The dam wall reportedly collapsed flooding shafts at the RioZim-owned
Cricket Mine and another one owned by a Mr Baxter.
