By Priscilla Makondo
The Young Miners Foundation, YMF, says it has partnered with the Midlands State University to launch a mining safety campaign to promote safety in the sector that has been haunted by fatal accidents in recent months.
In a telephone interview with Great Dyke News 24’ Priscilla Makondo, YMF Chairperson, Payne Kupfuwa, said the partnership will see the foundation and the Midlands State University’s Faculty of Geosciences make use of education models to educate young miners on mining safety.
“We recently launched the campaign, so we are now creating a programme whereby we will be educating young miners on how best they can engage in safer mining practices as well as how they can engage in more well established and more professionalized mining operations,” said Kapfuwa.
Zimbabwe has been plagued by mine disasters over the last few months, often resulting in the death of scores of miners. Most of the mining accidents have occurred at illegally run disused mines.
In September, five artisanal miners were trapped underground when a shaft collapsed at Task Gold Mine in Chegutu, Mashonaland West Province. Two of the five bodies were only retrieved on October 31, 51 days after the tragedy.
On November 26, yet another mine disaster occurred at Ran Mine in Bindura, Mashonaland Central Province, resulting in death of what was believed to be about 30 illegal gold miners who were trapped underground after a mine shaft collapse. Their remains were never recovered.
