adminsub-contractor hired by Econet to clear land to install optic fibre cables in Chirongoma Village, Fairfields, let off a larger blast than normal.
Furniture worth thousands was also destroyed in the process.
The houses that were damaged are next to the Harare-Masvingo highway near Chaka Township.
They had their windows shattered while household gadgets such as televisions, radios and tables were damaged.
Gogo Blandina Ndangano had her television and roof damaged by stones that flew from the blast less than 50 metres from the blasting location.
She said a sick relative, Ms Elizabeth Mahanyo, who could not walk and remained in the house during the blasts was lucky to escape alive.
“A big stone that damaged my roofing metal sheets and another stone broke a window, damaged the TV before it landed just behind the wardrobe almost hitting my sister who was sick,” she said.
She said her house now has cracks from the vibration of the blasts that were heard almost 2km away.
According to some villagers, Goodhope Mining Company – the organisation sub-contracted to clear the land were the optic fibre was to be installed – has been refusing to take full responsibility for the damage only offering cement.
The villages accused the company of not following stipulated blasting procedures. However, the mining company has since dismissed the claims by the villagers as false saying it had compensated them.
Goodhope Mining Company director Mr Armstrong Mapanga said they had bought 14 bags of cement and hired a builder to repair the damage.
“We have acknowledged that some houses were damaged because of vibration, but we have since repaired them. We have noted that there are some villagers who are making noise saying their homes were damaged but they were already damaged with cracks and they are taking advantage of this situation and want to us to repair their homes too,” Mr Mapanga said.
Asked about the company being negligent while blasting, Mr Mapanga said he was not a professional and only the blaster could respond.
Mr Mapanga said the villagers should not complain and blame his company, as most properties are substandard and as a result they were damaged.
“These properties are substandard and if they were standard properties they were not going to be damaged. They would have resisted the vibration. If you look at some of the houses that were damaged they are located about 100 metres from the blasting location. So who should be blamed?” he asked.
A mining expert from the Minsitry of Mines said when blasting certain procedures and precautions should be followed.
“The blaster has to cover the area being blasted with tyres and sand bags to avoid stones from flying and people have to be evacuated from the area to a safe distance of about 350 metres from the blasting site,” the engineer who refused to be named said.
When The Herald visited Chirongoma Village on Wednesday they found that most villagers affected are widows who fear that their houses might collapse anytime.
“My husband died seven years ago and who is going to build another house for me? My three-roomed house was solid and was beautifully painted but now it has cracks all over . . . it’s now eyesore,” Mrs Letwin Shonhiwa said.
She said although she received two bags of cement and some reinforcement steel she was not happy as the house was developing more cracks.
Another villager, Mrs Juliet Ndaruza, said her roof, a window, radio and coffee table were damaged and yet to be repaired.
“I have to cover my window with a board because a big stone from the blast flew into my house and broke the window, smashed my radio and coffee table before it landed on the floor,” she said.
Contacted yesterday, the Econet Wireless corporate communications department said they could only respond later after their corporate communications manager, Mr Rangarirai Mberi, returns to work.
Online Reporter