Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
TRAGEDY struck outside Shurugwi Town on Sunday evening when four people, including a heavily pregnant woman and three other relatives, lost their lives after the vehicle they were travelling in veered off the road and plunged into a 30-metre-deep abandoned chrome mining pit.
Rescue efforts by villagers and the police sub-aqua unit managed to retrieve the four bodies and the vehicle by Wednesday morning, underscoring concerns about the safety risks posed by unreclaimed mining pits.
Shurugwi District Development Co-ordinator (DDC), Mr Romeo Shangwa, confirmed the fatal accident. He said this incident highlights the ongoing issue of miners failing to reclaim or secure their pits after extracting chrome, which poses a significant risk to the surrounding community.
“A Honda Fit, suspected to have been pirating between Gweru and Zvishavane, allegedly plunged into a disused chrome mine pit on Sunday evening,” said Mr Shangwa.
“It’s believed the driver lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road and plunged into the chrome pit, which is close to the road.”
He added that one of the passengers managed to escape from the vehicle and swam to safety, while the four others failed to make it to solid ground.
“Villagers on Monday managed to retrieve one body, while the police sub-aqua unit retrieved the other bodies after pumping out water from the shaft overnight,” said Mr Shangwa.
Midlands provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, also confirmed the incident and said the Honda Fit was travelling towards Zvishavane.
“Police in Shurugwi are investigating the circumstances leading to a fatal road traffic accident, which occurred at the 53km peg along Gweru-Zvishavane Road on Sunday around 6pm,” he said.
Insp Mahoko reported that Aaron Mpofu (20) from Village 5, Dorset in Shurugwi, was driving the Honda Fit hybrid motor vehicle along the Gweru-Zvishavane Road. He is believed to have been carrying five passengers in the vehicle.
“When they reached the 53km peg, the vehicle veered off the road to the right and fell into a disused mine pit, which was full of water. The pit is only a few metres from the road,” he explained.
Insp Mahoko further noted that one of the passengers, Panashe Munyimi, managed to escape through the damaged front screen and swam out to safety.
He added that the body of Miriam Mpofu (28) was retrieved by villagers, who found it floating.
“By Wednesday, the police sub-aqua unit had retrieved the bodies of Hazel Funhiro (19), Aaron Mpofu and Abednigo Mpofu after pumping out the water from the pit,” he said.
Insp Mahoko confirmed the retrieved bodies were taken to Shurugwi District Hospital mortuary.
“Drivers are reminded of the old driving adage that ‘speed thrills but kills’, hence they should always drive at low speeds, which will be safer in the prevailing road conditions,” he said.
Abandoned mining pits have long been a source of concern for local residents, who have repeatedly called on the Government to compel miners to reclaim the pits after they have finished extracting the resource.
In January, a Shurugwi female prison inmate tragically lost her two minor children after they drowned while swimming in one of the abandoned pits.
Online Reporter