The year 2023 has revealed a sobering reality for the mining industry in Zimbabwe. Midlands Province and Matabeleland South Province have emerged as the epicenters of accidents and fatalities, demanding immediate attention to safety protocols.
According to official figures together, these two provinces accounted for 40.5% of the total fatalities and 41.5% of reported accidents nationwide.
The toll is staggering: 96 lives lost out of the country’s total of 237 fatalities, along with 88 accidents out of the national count of 212.
Midlands Province had 48 accidents, topping the list and mirroring the urgency of safety improvements.Matabeleland South province also recorded 40 accidents, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions.Other Regions in Focus:
1. Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West: These provinces closely follow, reporting 39 fatalities each from 39 accidents (Mashonaland East) and 34 fatalities from 34 accidents (Mashonaland West).
2. Mashonaland Central and Manicaland: Ranking fifth and sixth, Mashonaland Central reported 26 fatalities from 20 accidents, while Manicaland recorded 20 fatalities from 18 accidents.
• Matabeleland North: Despite its second-lowest accident count (12 incidents), it resulted in 18 fatalities.
• Masvingo Province: With only 4 incidents, it tragically witnessed 4 fatalities.
