MaShurugwi are simply criminals – Mangisi
The spokesperson of Zimbabwe Miners Federation Dosman Mangisi has differentiated small scale miners from the machete wielding miners popularly known as “Mashurugwi” whom he labeled as robbers who masquerade as miners.
Rudairo Mapuranga
According to Mangisi, labelling all small scale miners as Mashurugwi is an ill placed statement that does not only tarnish the image of other hard working small scale and artisanal miners but it also abuses the name of miners.
“These are not machete miners, that’s a wrong term. They are simply robbers who use machetes and they target small scale miners” said Mangisi.
Mangisi further highlighted that it is high time that the people and the media in general should come to a point where they’re able to distinguish the difference between miners and robbers .According to Mangisi, those individuals who use violence to get hold of mines are not miners but they are criminals. Hence, the difference between small scale miners and the notorious Mashurugwi should be well recognized as the former are nothing but a gang of notorious trouble makers , whereas the later are hustlers in the mining industry .
“Makorokoza hunt gold, those who use machetes are robbers hence we need to separate the two”
“Violence and mining does not tally, they are criminals who are hibernating in small scale mines and they simply need to eliminated. Makorokoza are mining hustlers and those who use violence are not makorokoza but criminals” he said.
Machetes wielding miners originated from Shurugwi earning themselves the popular name Mashurugwi, these were miners who initially engaged in fights for very small arguments in the mines, (claims, women or high school rivalries) they would use shovels and picks to fight or kill each other. They further began to use axes and machetes to kill each other. The dominant cartel began to collect tribute and taxes from other miners up until they resorted to robbing citizens who are not actually miners. Until the cartel in the gold mining industry is destroyed, the machete wielding miners will still be notorious in Zimbabwe.