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A Mvuma magistrate has sentenced a man to five years in prison after he was caught digging for gold beneath a railway line—an act that authorities warn poses a serious threat to railway infrastructure and public safety, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The offender, identified as Jonas Tigere, a resident of Village 16, Tokwe 4, was apprehended on June 11 while engaging in illegal mining directly under the railway track. According to the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), Tigere was caught red-handed by NRZ Loss Control officers, who immediately handed him over to the police.
The NRZ, in a public statement, expressed deep concern over the rise in illegal mining activities within railway reserve land and issued a stern warning to artisanal miners involved in such practices.
“The NRZ continues to appeal to artisanal miners not to undertake mining activities within the railway reserve land, as this disturbs the track formation and threatens train movement. People caught mining within the railway reserve are liable to receive lengthy mandatory jail terms if convicted,” the statement read.
Mining beneath railway lines compromises track stability, weakens track ballast, and endangers passenger and cargo trains. Experts say such activities risk derailments and catastrophic accidents, especially on long-haul freight and passenger corridors like the Harare–Masvingo–Beitbridge route, where Mvuma is located.
The NRZ has reiterated that railway reserves are protected zones, and any disturbance to the soil and track formation can have disastrous consequences, not just for the rail company but for the economy and public safety at large.
A photo released with the NRZ statement shows a deep trench dangerously close to the railway track, highlighting the extent of the excavation that prompted swift intervention.
Tigere’s sentencing serves as a landmark ruling and a clear message to would-be offenders that tampering with railway infrastructure—especially through mining—is a criminal act punishable by lengthy custodial sentences.
Authorities continue to urge communities and artisanal miners to steer clear of railway reserves and instead pursue formalisation pathways within designated mining zones. The Ministry of Mines, in collaboration with the ZRP and NRZ, is expected to step up surveillance along key rail corridors to prevent further illegal activities.
As Zimbabwe’s mining and transport sectors grow in tandem, alignment between infrastructure protection and responsible mining has never been more urgent.
