MaShurugwi teargas and injure dozens in Matopo
A notorious group known by their monicker as “Mashurugwi” stormed Star Mine in Matopo, teargassed mine workers beat them up and left them for dead in a 15 metres deep trench, Mining Zimbabwe has learnt.
Rudairo Mapuranga
According to Matopo Gold Miners Association chairperson Rev Sifelani Moyo, the incident happened early hours of Sunday with the group of miners storming the mine beating up the workers after throwing tear gas at them.
The workers were then rounded up and thrown into a trench in an attempt to end their life.
“The mine was attacked in the early morning with most of the employees teargassed and beaten up and then thrown down a trench with a 15m depth and for dead,” said Rev Moyo.
Moyo, however, said that no deaths have been reported yet with all the employees coming out of the trench alive after rescue mission with the majority sustaining serious injuries.
“Fortunately there are no deaths but some sustained serious injuries,” Rev Moyo said.
The “MaShurugwi” according to Moyo were many in number and therefore managed to get away with mining equipment, welding machines, fuel, pumps and ten tonnes of gold ore.
“The criminals were in numbers and looted mining equipment, welding machines, fuel, pumps and about ten tonnes of gold ore,” he said.
Moyo also urged the police and relevant authorities to work together with miners in making sure that these criminal elements in the mining sector are brought to book.
“I call upon the various stakeholders especially the police and miners to put heads together and help bring such criminals to book because it is not long till we lose innocent hardworking lives,” Moyo said.
“MaShurugwi” are becoming a treat to the country security, experts have predicted that if they are not curbed now, there might be a creation of a terrorist group.