A life was lost while several other people were injured and property worth thousands gutted by fire over a simple misunderstanding on a snooker match.
The recent deadly fight occurred at Etna Mine in Kadoma.
An eyewitness who pleaded for anonymity for fear of the deadly machete gang said a disagreement of a suspected foul during a snooker match on whether one should take one or two degenerated into a machete war in which one of the gang leaders only identified as Munashe was brutally assaulted.
The source said Munashe later came with his gang wielding machetes and other traditional weapons as catapults.
In retaliation his gang killed the people who had attacked him, destroyed a number of cars, wooden cabins and huts before setting them ablaze while many people were left nursing machete wounds.
Tuckshops were also looted as the rival gangs turned the place into a war zone.
There were also reports of gunshots.
The source said at that police’s intervention was futile leaving residents in fear of their precious lives.
So deep is the fear that even those who lost property were afraid of mentioning the names of the perpetrators to anyone including the police.
