Commercial property owners at Mberengwa turn off have been left counting their losses after illegal miners vandalised their properties in search of gold.
In an interview property owners said men digging a trench for a shop foundation on a commercial stand discovered a gold belt and alerted illegal miners leading to a gold rush which saw the miners destroying buildings which are under construction in the area.
They added that illegal miners resorted to night panning as they feared arrest by the police deployed in the area.
Earlier in the week, traditional leaders called on the government to intervene and bring sanity to the mining sector as the reckless activities of illegal miners disrupt life in gold-rich areas of the Great Dyke.
