With the imminent arrival of rains in the country this week, the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development in Zimbabwe has once again cautioned artisanal miners and stakeholders in the small-scale mining sector against engaging in practices that jeopardize lives underground.
Zimbabwe’s Mines Minister, Zhemu Soda, recently emphasized the risks associated with mining in close proximity to water bodies and engaging in pillar robbing. Minister Soda highlighted that recent accidents in the sector can be attributed to such negligent practices.
Chief Government Mining Engineer Michael Munodawafa recently disclosed that the recorded death toll stemmed from 212 documented fatal mining accidents, acknowledging that some incidents go unreported.
Unfortunately, the year 2024 has already witnessed a grim start, with 15 miners narrowly escaping death this month when a shaft collapsed, trapping them for four days at the Redwing gold mine in Mutare, eastern Zimbabwe.
This incident follows a concerning trend from the previous year, which saw an increase in fatalities from 139 recorded in 2022 due to 121 accidents.
Tragically, 2023 marked one of the deadliest years in Zimbabwe’s mining history, with mine accidents claiming the lives of at least 237 individuals.
