The government has revealed that machete-wielding gangs have killed 35 people and raped 15 women in the last 13 months.
Speaking in the Senate during a Question and Answer session last week, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Deputy Minister Michael Madiro said there are numerous ongoing measures in all the provinces aimed at containing violent crimes perpetrated by artisanal miners
He also said between January last year and last week, the criminal gangs had assaulted 382 people with 225 robberies having been recorded during the same period.
“Throughout the country, from January 2019 to date, a total of 35 murders, 225 robberies, 382 assaults and 15 rape cases were committed by machete-wielding gangsters.
“However, there are numerous ongoing measures in all the provinces aimed at containing violent crimes perpetrated by artisanal miners,” he said.
Out of the 35 murders, 20 occurred in Silobela in the Midlands province.
He added that “Isitsheketsha kasiphele/Chikorokoza Ngachipere and No to Machete Gangs, commenced on 14 January 2020 after resources for the first phase of the operation were made available. The operation is ongoing in all provinces and is aimed at arresting machete-wielding criminals.”
