Miners are living in fear, following the return of a terror gang known as Maziga, which is wreaking havoc in Norton mining town, leaving several injured and many fearing for their lives.
Prince Sunduzani
The machete-wielding gang, comprising rowdy gold panners and violence loving youths have unleashed a reign of terror, much to the worry of officials, authorities and residents.
The gang, whose modus operandi, has not changed since inception, goes around Mining towns, dispossessing miners of their gold and equipment and materials, injuring anyone who dares to stand in their way.
Maziga gang, founded and headed by a leader identified as Pelah, was in 2020 caught on camera showing off their weapons. The machete gang leader was subsequently arrested at a hiding place in Rushinga after the video of the terror gang went viral on social media. The Kadoma based group believes that gangsterism in the Zimbabwe Mining sector is led by them.
According to Norton miners, the terror group is in their area seeking revenge for grudges dating back to 2020 when some Norton Makorokoza attacked them in their home area, Kadoma.
The miners claim the gang is backed by powerful individuals who benefit from the lawlessness and the loot the terror group brings.
A miner who preferred anonymity said they have gone for three days without production as they are afraid of the gangsters.
“We are now afraid to work especially at night because of this gang. If they find you at your mine, God knows what will happen to you. We have gone for three days without working due to these MaZiga,” the miner said.
They are calling on the Police to act swiftly and nip the violence before it metastasises to unprecedented levels.
“The challenge we have is that they come here looking for other gang members and it affects us who are not gang-affiliated. We ask that the police intervene because we can even think of going back to work.
Last week Norton Legislator Temba Mliswa took to the microblogging site, Twitter to condemn the violence by gold panners after they indiscriminately unleashed violence on women and miners, in Barca rooms in Ward 1.
“Makorokoza armed with machetes attacked these people at Barca rooms in Ward 1, Norton this week. I donated vehicles& bicycles so ZRP could be mobile& swift in responding to such& but they refused. Now people suffer! Yet they accept and receive food donations,” he said.
https://twitter.com/TembaMliswa/status/1527343409564098560
Ma Shurugwi and Ma Kwekwe are some of the known terror groups.