A teenager was crushed to death by a rock in a disused mine shaft at Sunace Mine in Umguza District, Matabeleland North, while engaging in illegal gold mining with four friends on Thursday.
Luckmore Sibanda (17) was killed by a large rock that fell on him while he was illegally digging for gold in a decades-old mine shaft.
His four colleagues, two of whom are also believed to be teenagers, escaped unhurt and later notified the authorities at Sunace Mine that Sibanda was trapped under a rock, although they were unsure if he was still alive.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) acting spokesperson in Bulawayo Province, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, confirmed the incident. She said:
Police confirm the sudden death of Luckmore Sibanda, national identity document not held, a male aged 17 years from Lukala Village under Chief Mtshane Khumalo.
On the afternoon of 12 December, the deceased’s father was approached by an adult male informing him that Luckmore Sibanda was trapped in a mine shaft.
When they went to check on him, it was discovered that the deceased’s body was trapped under a large rock. The team tried to retrieve the body but failed.
A police report was then made. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the mine was closed, and the deceased and his colleagues were engaged in illegal mining.
We encourage members of the public to desist from illegal mining as it endangers their lives.
In an interview with the Chronicle, the late teenager’s father, Never Sibanda, said that the family is struggling to come to terms with the devastating possibility that his body may never be retrieved from the shaft. He said:
Chances of his body being retrieved from the shaft are very slim. He was crushed by a large rock, which must be moved to retrieve his body, something we believe may not be possible.
His peers are still in school, but he chose to join his friends in gold mining. It hurts to lose our child at such a young age.
Sunace Mine security supervisor Muzikababa Makwelo said that the chances of retrieving the body are less than two percent, adding it would be extremely risky to send a rescue team into the mine.
Makwelo said security teams frequently engage in running battles with illegal miners, who often carry dangerous weapons such as machetes and knives during their unsanctioned raids on the mine. He said:
We have in the past tried to seal off the entrances of the disused shafts, but they always find a way in to dig for gold.
It’s a constant battle to keep them away from these old shafts, no matter how dangerous the conditions are.
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