CGME Eng Munodawafa speaks on the significance of mine rescue
The Mine Rescue Association of Zimbabwe recently held its Annual General Meeting, and speakers at the event emphasized the need for continual personal development in mine rescue management.
In his speech, the Chief Government Mining Engineer (CGME) Engineer Michael Munodawafa said it was essential for rescuers to continue improving their knowledge and skills to handle emergencies.
“As basketball coach Pat Riley once said, “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.” It is essential that miners, emergency responders, and other industry leaders continually improve their knowledge and skills to ensure that they are equipped to handle emergencies,” Eng Munodawafa said.
He applauded the Mine Rescue Association for swiftly attending to an emergency at Globe and Phoenix Mine in
Kwekwe when a classroom collapsed resulting in the injury of 18 schoolchildren. Collaboration between the Mines Inspectorate, Mine Rescue Association, and other emergency services played a crucial role in ensuring that all children were quickly and safely transported to the hospital.
“Allow me to express our sincere gratitude to COMZ and Mine Rescue Association for swiftly reacting to our call to attend to an emergency at Globe and Phoenix Mine in Kwekwe. This was after some ground subsidence caused by illegal small-scale mining activities affected a primary school resulting in the injury of 18 schoolchildren. About 41 kids were geared to start lessons around 0730hrs when suddenly half of the floor of their classroom gave in following the ground subsidence. 14 kids went down with the collapse but luckily the desks and chairs went in first and closed the gaping floor and that saved the kids. During the collapse, other kids from adjacent classes panicked and jumped out through the windows resulting in four more children being injured. Fortunately, all the children were taken to the hospital and were all discharged by the end of the day,” the CGME said.
The late arrival of emergency services during mining accidents has often been blamed for the high number of fatalities, with an average of three miners dying every week over the past five years. The establishment of a formalized and institutionalized mine rescue and emergency response management system in the small to medium mines sub-sector could have prevented many of these fatalities.
The Mine Rescue Association, in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, has been called upon to spearhead and assist in the establishment of mine rescue services in this sub-sector.
“For the past five years, thus, from 2019 to 2022, an average of three (3) miners were killed every week with 17% of these fatalities attributed to COMZ-affiliated mines and 83% to non-COMZ small to medium-scale mining operations. The number of fatal accidents increased from 116 in 2019 to a repugnant figure of 170 during yesteryear.
“Suffice to say, barring other factors, more lives could have been saved in the latter had mine rescue and emergencies response services been formalized and institutionalized in the small to medium mines sub-sector. It is with this realization in mind, that we plead with your association to spearhead and assist, in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, in the establishment of mine rescue services in this sub-sector. Along the same vein, I encourage you to accommodate the participation of these small-scale miners in your mine rescue competitions. It is through such coordinated and cohesive efforts that we can achieve our shared vision of an effective mine rescue and emergency response management system in our mining sector,” Eng Munodawafa said
In addition to formalizing rescue services, the participation of small-scale miners in mine rescue competitions could contribute to building cohesive and coordinated emergency response teams. It is through such efforts that the mining industry can achieve its shared vision of an effective mine rescue and emergency response management system.
The Mine Rescue Association’s Annual General Meeting served as a reminder of the importance of mine rescue and emergency services in the mining industry. Continuous personal development, the collaboration between emergency services, and the formalization of rescue services are necessary for achieving the goal of a safer mining sector.