Boulder crushes miner to death

Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
A MINER was crushed to death after a boulder fell on him while he was working in a mineshaft in Bubi District, 56km north of Bulawayo.

Mr Nkosilizwe Moyo (18) of Timothy Moyo’s homestead, Swati village, died at Ulinda Mine, Inyathi at around 1PM on Tuesday.

Moyo was with two colleagues, Bhekisitha Ncube (21) of Khabo village, under chief Mtshana, Siganda, who sustained some injuries and Wilbert Ncube (20) of Silobela, Kwekwe who escaped uninjured.

Moyo died on the spot in the mine at Caravan Farm belonging to Mr Anthony John Arimando.

A mine worker who only identified himself as Mr Moyo said Bhekisitha was rushed to Inyathi District Hospital.

“The three were working in the shaft when the accident occurred. They were collecting samples from down the shaft which is about three metres deep. A huge boulder collapsed on Moyo and trapped him for more than 20 minutes resulting in him dying on the spot.

“Fellow workers rescued Bhekisitha who was hit on the right side of his body and sustained some injuries on his right leg while Wilbert was lucky to escape uninjured,” he said.

Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Inspector Siphiwe Makonese could not be reached for comment.

Mine accidents which claim lives are prevalent in Matabeleland.

Last month a miner died while two others were injured when a mine shaft collapsed in Filabusi.

In April, a miner died while two others were hospitalised with some injuries after a tunnel collapsed on them at Turk Mine in Bubi District.

In December, a Gwanda gold panner also died after he was crushed by a boulder while he was drilling in a mine shaft at Bina mine.

Another worker at Vumbachikwe gold mine, Mugovewashe Kwashira (27), died after plunging about 160 metres down a shaft. The incident occurred as workers were reporting for duty.

Last year an employee at Jessie Mine on the outskirts of Gwanda was also crushed to death after a boulder weighing more than a tonne fell on him while he was underground.

In 2014, another Vumbachikwe Mine worker was crushed to death when a boulder weighing more than one tonne fell on him.

@winnie_masara