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With severe flooding now paralysing communities across Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) President Ms Henrietta Rushwaya has issued a new and critical warning, stating that the saturated conditions present an immediate, nationwide threat to mining safety, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Her urgent call reframes the ongoing rainy season as an active disaster, underscored by the tragic mine collapse in Filabusi that trapped three people.
“The genius required now is in recognizing that we have moved past forecasts and into a full-blown emergency,” Ms Rushwaya stated. “Our rivers are overflowing, our soils are waterlogged from Beitbridge to Chimanimani, and every mining shaft in a low-lying area is in imminent danger. This is no longer about seasonal caution; this is about urgent, life-saving action. Water is actively seeking out and undermining workings across the country.”
The scale of the current flooding is severe, turning rainfall into a widespread hazard. Major waterways have burst their banks, and consistent downpours have created uniquely dangerous conditions for mining:
Active Shaft Flooding: Water is flowing into underground excavations at an alarming rate, driven by high water tables and surface runoff.
Critical Ground Instability: The integrity of mine walls and tunnels has been compromised nationally, raising the risk of sudden collapses.
Hampered Emergency Response: Flooded access roads are isolating mining sites, delaying rescue operations and aid, as seen in Filabusi.
Echoing the urgency, a member of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development, Hon. Jonah Nyevera, issued a direct warning to the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) sector, which is particularly vulnerable.
“This is a direct instruction. If you are an artisanal miner, you must try to cease operations immediately,” Hon. Nyevera asserted. “The flooding Ms Rushwaya describes is real and present. The tragedy in Filabusi, where a life above ground was also lost, proves the danger is unconfined. Do not approach flooded shafts, avoid all riverine claims, and prioritize your life over ore. Wait for official clearance that the conditions have safely passed.”
The accident at Hebenia Mine on 17 January serves as a devastating example of the current risks. A shaft approximately 11 metres deep collapsed, trapping two miners. In a heartbreaking turn, the wife of one miner was also engulfed when she rushed toward the shaft as the ground failed. This incident highlights the compounded dangers of operating in saturated ground and the rapid, unpredictable nature of these failures.
The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has long emphasised rainy season safety. However, the current extreme flooding necessitates a shift from standard precaution to emergency response.
Moving forward, the crisis underscores the need for:
Immediate Safety Moratoriums: Enforced stoppages in all high-risk and flooded areas.
Enhanced Emergency Coordination: Ensuring rescue teams can access isolated communities and mining sites.
Community Risk Communication: Direct and clear dissemination of warnings to mining communities about the specific, elevated dangers.
As rains continue, the urgent warnings from Ms Rushwaya and Hon. Nyevera frame a critical choice for the mining sector: to recognise the unprecedented scale of the flood danger and act decisively to protect life above all else. The nation’s focus remains on the rescue efforts in Filabusi and the safety of all miners during this perilous time.
