Zvishavane, Zimbabwe — Four artisanal miners were killed after a mine shaft collapsed at Sabi Vlei Mine in the Mazvihwa area of southern Zimbabwe, authorities said, in one of the deadliest mining accidents reported in the region this year.
Three of the miners died instantly when the shaft caved in on Friday morning, while a fourth succumbed to severe injuries after being taken to a nearby hospital, according to local officials.
Rescue efforts involving the Civil Protection Unit and local villagers continued for hours as teams worked to retrieve the bodies from beneath the rubble.
Darlington Chokera, the district development coordinator for Zvishavane, confirmed the incident and described it as a devastating loss for the Mazvihwa community. Residents have called it one of the worst mining accidents in the area in recent months.
Government officials expressed concern over persistent safety lapses in Zimbabwe’s artisanal mining sector, which employs thousands but is frequently marked by hazardous working conditions. Charlton Murove, chair of the Midlands Provincial Civil Protection Unit, urged miners to adopt safer practices to prevent further loss of life.
Police said the identities of the victims were still being verified and would be released after their families are notified.
The tragedy adds to a growing number of fatal incidents in small-scale mining operations across Zimbabwe, where inadequate safety measures and informal practices continue to put workers at risk.
