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Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THERE were scenes of unfettered joy and jubilation for hundreds of fellow artisanal miners, locals and Government officials who thronged Penhalonga’s Tsapauta mining area today (Sunday) where 15 artisanal miners were rescued after spending four days in the depths of a collapsed mining shaft.
The area is under the control of Redwing Mine and lies next to businessman Scott Sakupwanya’s Better Brands gold mining area.
Just like the multitudes who gathered to witness the rescue operation, an unidentified lady, who had her two sons trapped underground in the mishap, was a bundle of emotions and declared that she would finally break her four-day long fasting after the successful rescue operation.
“I really want to thank the Lord above. Jesus is alive, my relatives. Let us stay in prayer. My two sons and their friend were trapped underground. All of them are back alive. I can now safely go and break my fasting now. Praise God!” said the lady.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, said stakeholders had almost given up on the rescue operations.
“I want to thank the Government led by President Mnangagwa for being responsive. The challenge we all had here was huge and we almost lost all hope.
“The truth of the matter is that there was cooperation between all Government departments. We also appreciate the dedication that we got from our Mines and Mining Development Minister who was here for the past two days to see to it that we retrieve our children,” said Minister Mugadza.
Unlike the false yet widespread social media messages that inflated numbers of trapped miners, some up more than 100, only 15 were trapped and all have since been rescued alive.
Online Reporter