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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
AUTHORITIES in Kwekwe have raised concern over the situation at Globe and Phoenix Primary School amid fears that some classroom blocks might cave in this rainy season owing to underground tunnels dug by illegal miners.
Located a few metres from the CBD, the school has since decommissioned two classroom blocks over fears they will collapse anytime because of illegal gold mining activities that have been occurring beneath it.
There are also fears that the Kwekwe District Government offices, which house the District Registrar and the District Development Coordinator (DDC), could also collapse because of continued illegal mining activities underground.
Kwekwe district office
Some houses and council infrastructure like roads and water valves close to Globe and Phoenix Mine are also under siege from the illegal miners.
School head Mr Isaac Pfupajena said illegal mining around the school had left a trail of destruction.
He said illegal miners invade the school at night and dig up huge pits under classroom foundations in search of gold.
“We have engaged security guards but at times they (illegal miners) come at night and threaten the guards before they dig huge pits underneath the classroom blocks in search of gold,” he said.
Mr Pfupajena said the school had installed security lights to try and deter the illegal miners.
“We have also requested the police to establish a police post but they haven’t come yet. We have, however, installed lights and some of the panners are no longer coming during the night,” he said.
Mr Pfupajena said there were high chances some of the classroom blocks with open pits around them would collapse this rainy season.
“It’s now raining and these pits which are underneath the classroom blocks will be filled with water causing the classroom blocks to collapse,” he said.
Kwekwe District Development Coordinator, Mr Fortune Mpungu also confirmed the illegal mining activities around Globe and Phoenix Primary School and the District Registrar’s office.
Speaking during a Kwekwe Civil Protection Unit meeting recently Mr Mpungu said the situation at the school needed to be attended to, especially at the onset of the rainy season.
He said police had been engaged to help.
Mr Mpungu said his office was also waiting for a geographical assessment report from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.
“There was an assessment which was done by the Ministry of Mines to ascertain whether or not the school and the District Registrar’s offices were still safe to use following the underground damage.
EMA Midlands manager Benson Bhasera said the situation at the school was not pleasing, calling for a multi-sectoral approach to solve the matter.
“We recently toured the school and the situation is not that good. We, however, noticed that some rehabilitation was taking place with some pits near classroom blocks being rehabilitated. There is, however, a need for every sector concerned to play their role so that we put an end to this menace,” he said.
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