A Mutare woman is suing a Chinese-owned mining company Xu Zhong Jin Investments after it allegedly caused the death of her husband by burying him alive in one of its shafts.
The miner, Sure Mutamba, and his colleague Vincent Gundo who were artisanal miners, were buried alive when Xu Zhong Jin Investments filled the pit they were in.
The company reportedly dumped earth into the pit even though it was warned that there were two people inside.
The bodies of the miners were retrieved three days later following protests by neighbouring communities.
Mutamba’s widow, Nester Munyongani, and her four-year-old child are demanding $2 million from Xu Zhong Jin Investments as compensation for causing the death of her husband and father and for loss of support.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), who are representing Munyongani and her child, said in a statement:
Xu Zhong Jin Investments, a Chinese mining company is standing trial after being sued for damages by the widow and child of Sure Mutamba, an artisanal miner, who was buried alive in November 2020 as the Chinese miner was rehabilitating a mining site at Premier Estate in Old Mutare in Manicaland province.
The widow, Nester Munyongani and her four-year-old minor child are suing Xu Zhong Jin Investments for $2 million for negligently causing the death of Mutamba and for loss of support emanating from his death.
Mutamba’s body was only exhumed three days after he died following protests by community members over the inhumane operations of the Chinese miner.
The Chinese miner had been advised that Mutamba was underground before its employees even closed the deep pit but they proceeded and closed the pit.