Several illegal miners feared dead after shaft collapse in Kwekwe

Image: Crime Watch Zimbabwe 

At least a number of people are feared dead following the collapse of a shaft at the Homestake Mine (Globe and Phoenix) near Westend suburb, Kwekwe, where illegal mining activities are taking place.

According to Crime Watch Zimbabwe, at the time of reporting rescue operations were still underway, with many feared to be trapped underground.

Though the police is yet to confirm the development, cases of mine collapse have been a cause for concern in the country.

Early this year, about eleven subsistence mine workers were trapped in an underground shaft after a ground collapse at Zimbabwe’s Redwing Mine, 270 km (167.77 miles) west of the capital Harare.

Initial assessments pointed to earth tremors as the possible cause of the accident, Zimbabwe’s mines ministry said in a statement.

Metallon Corporation, which owns Redwing Mine, confirmed the incident in a separate statement.

The company deployed a rescue team to bring the trapped miners back to the surface, it added.

“The team has made several rescue attempts. However, the ground remains unstable, rendering rescue operations unsafe.

“Our teams are diligently assessing ground conditions to make sure the rescue operations proceed safely as soon as possible,” Metallon said at the time.

Mining operations at Redwing have been undertaken by subsistence miners carrying out unsanctioned work since the mine was placed under corporate rescue in 2020, the company said.

Zwnews