Mine workers and Silobela MP have expressed concern over the continued deaths and accidents at Jena Mine, a gold mine in Silobela.
In the past three months, two lives have been lost at the mine in the Midlands province.
In an incident confirmed by the local legislator, Mthokhozisi Mpofu, a miner last week died following the collapse of a mine shaft he was working on.
Several miners escaped with injuries on the day.
The death comes barely three months after the death of a minor in October this year after being chocked by chemical fumes at the mine.
The mined used to be owned by the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), a government-owned company. However, the mine was recently purchased by business mogul Kuda Tagwirei, an ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“We have received the tragic death of a miner at Jena Mines following the collapse of a mine shaft,” Mpofu said.
The lawmaker also expressed concern on the safety of workers at the mine.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers’ Union (ZDAMWU) has also come out guns blazing over the lack of security and safety at the mine.
“We are very much worried with the continued accidents happening at Jena Mine. This year alone two fatal accidents have happened taking the lives of miners,” the ZDAMWU general secretary Justice Chinhema said.
“What sad is that families are left without a bread winner and no meaningful statements are coming from the mine on the causes of these fatalities and accidents.
“We demand that reports of these accidents be made public to clear the air. We are bound to speculate that something is being hidden from the workers on the causes of the accidents,” he said.
The trade unionist demanded that Jena Mine compensates families of workers who have died.
“We also want to see real compensation taking place. The loss of a bread winner is too much for the family left behind,” Chinhema said.
