HARARE
–
Six
illegal
miners
were
killed
and
four
others
suffered
severe
injuries
at
Mazowe
Mine
in
Mashonaland
Central
when
a
hoist
pulling
them
to
the
surface
failed,
sending
them
crashing
45
meters
down.
The
incident
happened
at
around
10AM
on
Friday.
The
mine,
formerly
owned
by
Metallon
Gold
but
now
under
Namib
Minerals,
has
been
dormant
since
2018.
A
section
of
the
mine
with
old,
disused
shafts
has
been
overrun
by
illegal
miners
leading
to
rampant
criminality
including
murders.
An
incident
report
seen
by
ZimLive
stated
that
the
illegal
miners
went
into
the
shaft
at
around
7PM
on
July
17.
Tragedy
struck
when
they
were
returning
to
the
surface
with
their
gold
ore.
The
dead
have
been
named
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
injured
miners
“sustained
severe
injuries,
including
broken
bones,
deep
cuts,
and
bruises,”
according
to
the
report.
Mazowe
Mine
obtained
a
court
order
in
February
last
year
ordering
a
cessation
of
illegal
mining
activities.
The
government
also
directed
the
illegal
miners
to
move
out
in
April
after
three
were
killed
in
another
hoist
failure.
The
mine
fears
police
inaction
will
lead
to
more
deaths.
In
the
last
week
alone,
three
murders
were
reported
at
the
mine.
Namib
Minerals
says
it
will
be
investing
$300
million
to
revive
operations
at
Mazowe
Mine
which
incorporates
Redwing
and
Jumbo
mines
after
signing
an
agreement
with
Metallon
Gold.