The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu miner, Gwanda Correspondent
A 52-YEAR-OLD Gwanda miner died under unclear circumstances while he was working in a shaft.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred on Monday at Western Follet Mine in Makwe area around 10am.
He said Japhet Nkala was loading gold ore into the shaft while his workmates were outside. Insp Ndebele said they later found him lying dead in the mine shaft.
“I can confirm that we are investigating a case of sudden death which occurred at Western Follet Mine in Makwe area on Monday.
“Nkala and his workmates were extracting gold ore from a shaft.
“Nkala was the one who was inside the shaft, he was loading the gold ore into a bucket and his workmates were using a rope to pull out the loaded bucket.
While they were working his workmates realised that Nkala was no longer loading the gold ore.
His son who was also among the workers went inside to check on him and found him lying on the ground, dead,” he said.
Insp Ndebele said the miners retrieved Nkala’s body from the shaft and tried to administer first aid but with no luck.
He said police were called and they attended the scene.
Insp Ndebele said investigations were still underway to ascertain the cause of Nkala’s death.
“We are still trying to ascertain the cause of Nkala’s death but at the moment we are still treating it as a case of sudden death as we are yet to receive the post-mortem result,” he said.
@DubeMatutu
