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Conrad Mupesa-Mashonaland West Bureau
WHENEVER they hear the name Task Mining Syndicate, Crynos Nyamukanga’s two widows cannot help but think of the mine as a death trap.
Life has taken a twist after the death of their husband whom they say was the main provider of the polygamist family.
They rue the day he left the village for work at the mine near Chegutu town to the north.
While many marriages continue collapse due to financial challenges, Ellen Nyongoro (34) and Elizabeth Nyirenda (40) said given a chance, they would choose to stay in a polygamous marriage with an unemployed husband than a risk-taker who would end up losing his life.
Their 44-year-old husband was one of the five artisanal miners who perished last September when a shaft they were working in collapsed, trapping all of them inside.
He left his two widows and seven children who are all attending school.
The other trapped miners were Munashe Nyamukanga (16), Charles Mutume (31) and Constantino Dzinoreva (47).
Numerous efforts were made to rescue the trapped miners, but as time went on, prospects of rescuing them alive became slim.
The rescue team composed of fellow artisanal miners with guidance from the Ministry of Mines officials and District Civil Protection Unit shifted focus to retrieving the bodies.
After assessing the ground, rescue and retrieval efforts were suspended on October 2 last year. Government rescue officials made this decision to save the lives of the rescue teams.
Despite this, the family members kept camping at the mine site in the anticipation that the Government would reverse its decision.
And, notwithstanding the decision by the Government, the artisanal miners who risked their lives in the quest to retrieve their comrades, clandestinely continued to search for the trapped miners.
Fifty-one days after the horrific accident and following continuous efforts, the rescuers recorded a breakthrough as a heavy stench directed them to the trapped miner on November 2.
The fellow artisanal miners managed to retrieve Shingai Gwatidzo (20) whose body was found in an advanced state of decomposition.
Speaking at their homestead under Nyamukanga village under Zvimba district, the two wives have now accepted their fate of losing a loving and caring husband.
They had been camped at the mine site for over three months in anticipation of going home with his remains for a decent burial.
“Our husband was a good farmer, but he ventured into mining to supplement his income after we got a poor harvest following three years of consecutive droughts,” said an emotional Ms Nyirenda, wiping tears on her eyes.
“He was the shift manager at the mine and the day he left home, he urged us to unite as his wives. He also said he would raise enough money to buy a tractor to help maximise production at our plot.”
The first wife in the polygamous marriage, Ms Nyirenda added: “After the news of the mine shaft collapse, we rushed to the mine site to get first-hand information.
“We thought it was a minor accident and even when they explained it to me, it sounded as if they would be rescued in no time.
“While we stayed put at the site hoping for a breakthrough. All farming activities at the plot were to put on hold and by the time we accepted the sad and possible reality, it was too late.
“My children led by my now Form Three son managed to put a small portion under maize which we are now harvesting.”
Ms Nyirenda envisages not more than a tonne of maize from the portion which is supposed to take the family through to the next harvesting season, which is a year from now.
The yield output has to also foot school fees, clothes and food bills.
The second wife, Ms Nyongoro, was cut by a double-edged sword as she lost her first son, Munashe in the same accident and said she had accepted that God had made His way which she had to accept and move on.
Though struggling to come to terms with the loss of Munashe and her husband in a painful manner, Ms Nyongoro said her focus was now on taking care of the child left by the husband.
As she wiped tears running down her cheeks, she said: “I have now accepted that they are never going to come back, God has decided.
“While my husband was finding it hard to support his polygamous life, hope was now resting with Munashe as he was a bright child at school. But we lost him too.”
She said Munashe had joined his father for the first time at the mine where he was expected to be a cook for the artisanal miners as he had no experience in mining.
News of him having been trapped under the shaft came as a shock to her as she least expected it.
“Upon arriving at the mine for the first time, I just told myself that there was never going to be a way my boy would come out alive,” said Ms Nyongoro.
“The way the mine shafts are close to each other was of great concern.
“After a week of camping, I knew that my son and my husband were dead, but I only hoped for the retrieval of their bodies for their proper burial but it was not to be.
“While we are being hurt by losing our loved ones, it is the pain of knowing that they are buried at a mine shaft far from the homestead which is troublesome.”
The two women have since pleaded with the world for assistance to be able to take their children through school.
Their children are still at both primary and secondary levels, with another at the Early Child Development level.
Online Reporter