Chronicle Editor
Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
ONCE the sun sets in the Vumbachikwe area in Gwanda District, Matabeleland South Province, it is a cue for women to head home.
For fear of being harassed by illegal gold miners who operate in surrounding areas, women have no business being on the streets beyond 6PM.
For some who work in Gwanda Town which is just about 14km away, going home late means risking it all with otsheketsha, as they are commonly known.
They jeer, shout obscenities, sometimes rob and in other instances rape unaccompanied women at night.
One of the women living in the area said she is sometimes forced to put up at a friend’s house in Gwanda town if she finishes her business late.
“We’re scared to move around at night because of these illegal gold miners.
They’ll be loitering by the club and when it is night time, they have no limitations.
We’ve tried to engage the police but nothing has changed.
Some women have been raped by these rowdy men and it really makes us feel unsafe,” said Ms Buhlebenkosi Ncube.
She said it is difficult even for men to protect them as otsheketsha easily turn violent.
“They move around with dangerous weapons such that you don’t want your paths to cross.
It is really bad and we need ways to deal with this challenge,” said Ms Ncube.
Another woman from Vumbachikwe, Ms Janet Siziba said her daughter is forbidden to be out of the house after 5PM.
“It is not safe for women and girls out here.
Otsheketsha are tormenting us and we have resorted to avoiding doing any errands at night in order to stay safe.
We worry about our girls when they go to school such that many of us accompany them to and from school to make sure they are safe,” she said.
Ms Siziba said during the day, most of the illegal gold miners will be drinking alcohol and playing snooker by the shops.
“They’re more weary of people’s eyes in the afternoon but for the most part nothing stops them.
Even among themselves, they’re always fighting and skirmishes often break out.
They’re so violent to a point of even killing each other,” she said.
Some locals said other rowdy elements are not necessarily illegal gold miners.
No one really knows what they do for a living or how they get their money although some locals said the selling of illicit drugs is a common trade in the area.
“There are a lot of illegal gold miners in the area and lot of people also sell mbanje and other drugs.
You also find that a lot of things happen undercover.
There are people who spend most of their time drinking here at the shops but no one knows how they get their money.
They have money to splash and binge but no one can trace where it comes from,” said Mr Mlungisi Dube, another local.
He said turf wars among illegal gold miners are always breaking out in the area during beer binges.
“People here are always fighting, and get to a point of almost killing each other.
With some, you find them sitting around here looking like they’re doing nothing but they’ll actually be selling all sorts of drugs,” said Mr Dube.
He said some of the illegal gold miners live at Churu Farm and whenever illegal gold miners from other areas visit the farm, it spelt trouble.
“They take out okapi knives and all sorts of other weapons.
You really don’t want to be around when it happens.
These are the same people who are terrorising our women at night, we no longer feel safe around here,” said Mr Dube.
Gold panners reportedly unleashed a reign of terror in Malungwane Village in Umzingwane District recently attacking villagers with axes, machetes and knobkerries.
The development saw community members sleeping in maize fields fearing being attacked at their homes while asleep.
Meanwhile, police have so far arrested over 10 000 people for illegal mining activities across the country since January this year under an operation targeting illegal miners and people carrying dangerous weapons.
In January last year, police launched Isitsheketsha Kasiphele/Chikorokoza Ngachipere/No To Machete Gangs to net in illegal miners.
— @Yolisswa
Online Reporter