Illegal gold foraging ends in tragedy for 2 women

TWO women died on Saturday afternoon after a disused gold pit they had allegedly entered in search of gold remnants collapsed on them in the Nugget mining area in Matobo District, Matabeleland South province.

The fatal incident occurred at around 2PM and involved four women who are reportedly employed at a local mine and had allegedly gone to the site on their day off to illegally forage for leftover gold deposits.

The deceased were identified as Nonmatter Mlilo and Nomalanga Mabhena.

Two other women, identified as Alice and Thandolwenkosi Mlilo, who is a sister to Nonmatter, survived the terrifying ordeal and were rushed to hospital, where they were treated for injuries before being discharged.

Chronicle visited the site on Sunday where witnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity said the four women had earlier been warned against entering the area, which was considered dangerous and prohibited due to the unstable ground conditions.

“I personally warned them and chased them away from the hole because it is not safe and they were not authorised to be there,” said a senior mining official in the area who requested not to be named.

However, the women allegedly returned to the pit shortly afterwards in a bid to recover traces of gold.

“After that encounter I took my medication and went to rest, only to be awakened by screams and women wailing for help from the direction of the pit,” said the witness.

This prompted a frantic rescue operation with mine workers using an excavator to remove rubble while others dug desperately with shovels and their bare hands in an attempt to save the trapped women.

The rescue operation reportedly lasted close to an hour. Two of the women were eventually pulled out alive and rushed to hospital for treatment, while the other two were retrieved from beneath the collapsed earth and were pronounced dead at the scene, said the witness.

Police are yet to comment on the matter as they could not be reached for comment.