TWO artisanal miners have tragically died after a mine shaft in Cement Side, Umguza District, flooded and collapsed.
The incident occurred early Tuesday morning when the shaft gave way following heavy water ingress, trapping the two men underground.
When this news crew arrived at the scene, officers from the Bulawayo Fire and Ambulance Services Department were leading recovery efforts, supported by local volunteers.
One of the miners who survived the collapse described the moments before the incident.
“We heard a loud cracking sound as we reached the ground, then water started rushing in.
The two were behind us, and the shaft just closed, trapping the other one in the tunnel,” artisanal miner, Khulumani Nkomo said.
“We tried to dig with our hands and tools, but the water kept coming. By the time help arrived, it was already too late,” he said.
A brother of one of the deceased miners said the family is devastated by the loss.
“We have lost a young man; he was only 19. He went out to look for a living and never came back. The pain is too much for us as a family, and we are struggling to come to terms with what happened,” he said.
The incident adds to a growing number of fatal accidents involving artisanal miners in the country, as the government intensifies calls for compliance with mining safety standards to prevent further loss of life
