adminMasvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tinaye Matake identified the deceased as Kudakwashe Chihota (35) and Langton Mashawi (26), all of Village 1, Mushandike Resettlement in Mashava.
He said on 2 July Chihota and Mashawi, who are employed at Sibai 25 Mine in Mashava allegedly went to a disused mine shaft which was five metres deep.
The duo went down the mineshaft until they successfully reached the base of the mine where they started panning. When they were in the middle of panning, one of their colleagues, Lawrence Mudzviti (35), from the same area, allegedly joined them but before getting to where they were working, the mine shaft collapsed.
Large boulders of rocks started falling and Chihota and Mashawi were covered inside the shaft while Mudzviti was trapped up to the waist level.
After realising that disaster had struck, Mudzviti called for help from fellow gold-panners who were also working at a nearby shaft.
They came and rescued him but they could not do anything about Chihota and Mashawi who had been trapped at the base of the shaft.
The owner of the mine, Mr Ezekiel Mashawi, was then called to the scene and went on to report the matter at Mashava police base.
Police attended the scene and managed to retrieve Chihota and Masawi’’s bodies from the collapsed mine shaft. Their next of kin were advised and bodies were taken to Masvingo General Hospital for post mortem.
Mudzviti who sustained minor injuries was also admitted at the same hospital.
Police investigations are continuing.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter