Six artisanal miners killed in Kwekwe mine collapse

Michael Magoronga
Six people died after a mine they were working in on the outskirts of Kwekwe Central Business district, collapsed.
The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon at a mine located around the popular Globe and Phoenix Mine area which is just a stone’s throw away from Kwekwe CBD.Kwekwe District Civil Protection Unit (CPU) chairperson Mr Fortune Mpungu confirmed the incident saying the bodies of the deceased have since been retrieved.

“We quickly mobilised resources in the form of excavators and other equipment which we used to dig and retrieve the bodies of the deceased.

“We have since activated our Civil Protection Unit and are on the ground assisting with all the necessary work needed there.”

Mr Mpungu, who is also the District Development Coordinator, allayed fears that there could be other miners whose bodies are yet to be retrieved underground.

“We managed to conduct necessary research and we ascertained that there were only six people who were underground at the time of the incident,” he said.

“At the moment we are very confident that it is verified that only six people were underneath when it collapsed.”
Mr Mpungu said they were forwarding a report to the national CPU for further action and guidance.
The incident comes at a time when there are reports that the mining town is precariously dangling on top of underground mining tunnels left by mining activities which took place decades ago.

Globe and Phoenix Primary School has since been decommissioned after a classroom block gave in into an underground tunnel during class, injuring students in the process.

A house in the same area also gave into an underground tunnel a few days later, further raising concern over the safety of the citizens in the mining town.