Artisanal miners scramble to dig up Chiadzwa graves
This came out during a meeting of traditional leaders in Chiadzwa last week. The leaders ordered the illegal miners to stop the act which they described as taboo.
CHEEKY illegal diamond miners have reportedly invaded and dug up some graves in search of the precious stone in Chiadzwa.
Headman Robert Chiadzwa told NewsDay yesterday that they had since reported the matter to police.
“We are worried as traditional leaders because we have noted with concern that illegal diamond miners have invaded graves with our ancestors, some of them who are founders of this area,” he said.
“The area with graves has precious diamonds; l am told the illegal miners are being aided by traditional healers to easily gain access to the sacred area.”
Spiritualists leader Mathew Mundondo said the illegal miners raied the Banya area, where there are graves of Chiadzwa founders.
“I was part of the meeting in Chiadzwa by the traditional leaders as we wanted to solve the issue of illegal miners who are tampering with graves of our ancestors,” he said.
“I want to issue a strong warning that those people who are tampering with the graves will be in trouble since it is a taboo. Illegal panners are warned against panning in Chiadzwa, especially where there are ancestors’ graves.
“Attacking the Banya area is a taboo. This is where Chichaya and Nyakutakurwa were buried. These are founders of Chiadzwa.”
Mundondo, however, appealed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa to dispatch security forces to drive out the illegal miners.
“We are appealing to President Emmerson Mnangagwa to flush out all illegal panners because we are very angry with the way they desecrated graves in the Banya area which is rich in diamonds. Something should be done to arrest the illegal miners.”_NewsDay