Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) President Ms Henrietta Rushwaya and her executive visited Task Mining Syndicate mine in Chegutu yesterday in an effort to speed up the search of five missing miners (Task Five) who were trapped underground last month.
Rudairo Dickson Mapuranga
The visit has come after Chegutu District Administrator Mr Tomu wrote a letter to the owners of the mine ordering them to stop rescue operations. However, the letter was then discarded by the government because any rescue operations can only be legally stopped by the cabinet.
Speaking to Mining Zimbabwe, Rushwaya said ZMF was still hopeful that bodies of the trapped miners would be found so that they get a decent burial.
“We are still hopeful that the bodies will be retrieved and there can be a closure to the whole Task Mine disaster. Only God knows when. We still look upon the Lord for salvation.”
ZMF visited the mine to assess the implementation of the government directive on the abandonment of the search of the five missing miners.
Traditional leaders and Mine Officials also held a cleansing cultural ceremony so that the bodies of the five will be easily retrieved.
ZMF has for a long time appealed to the government for help in mechanising their operations to reduce mining accidents at their operations.
Five Miners namely Constantino Dzinoreva (47) based in Chegutu, Charles Mutume (31) Based in Zvimba, Shingai Gwatidzo (20) from Mhondoro and brothers Munashe Christian (17) and Crynos Nyamukanga (44) from Zvimba have been trapped underground since the 8th of September 2020. Hopes of finding the five alive have diminished as it has been 36 days since they have been underground.
The five, “Task Five” as we call them got trapped after their shaft collapsed and rescue operations have been active since.
