The Sunday News
Valencia Ndhlovu, Sunday News Reporter
TEN illegal miners were recently arrested for extracting 24 bags of gold ore from Happy Valley mine without the consent of the owner under a police operation meant to flush out unregulated mining activities.
The police operation is code named operation chikorokoza ngachipere/end illegal mining activities.
The illegal miners allegedly got into the mine without the permission of the owner and started extracting gold ore which they loaded into their vehicles. The owner got wind that his mine has been invaded and called the police who managed to apprehend 10 accused persons.
They are from various parts of the country including Bulawayo, Esigodini, Gweru, Mhondoro, Hope Fountain, Harare, and Silobela.
The accused are Musa Mpofu (50), Sangweni Mathamsanqa ((69), Bennias Pendu (34), Albert Majere (34), Nyasha Sithole (20) Anraham Mbirimi (27) Augustine Mahazo (22) Prince Soko (24) amd Tapiwa Gwandu (21).
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the arrest of the ten and called on the public to stop engaging in illegal mining activities.
He said those that want to do mining should regularise their operations with the authorities.
“We urge members of the public to desist from carrying out illegal mining activities as it poses a danger to their lives. We need not only to protect the environment and invasion of private property as was the case with this particular instance but the miners themselves against mine accidents because they will not be having proper clothing and safety equipment,” he said.
Insp Ncube said there were more cases of mine accidents during the rainy season and urged members of the public to be careful as mine shafts collapse as the ground would be rain soaked.
