A 26-year-old man has died after a mine shaft collapsed during illegal gold mining activities near the Insiza River in Matabeleland South province, police have confirmed. Musawamadlozi Ndhlovu, from Madliwa village under Chief Sikhobokhobo in Nkayi, was buried alive when the shaft he was working in gave way at around 18:00 on 30 December 2025. He had been mining with a 16-year-old boy, Mqondobami Ndhlovu, who was waiting outside the shaft at the time.
The teenager escaped unharmed and alerted authorities after hearing soil falling and discovering that the shaft had caved in. Police said the incident occurred on the river bank, about five metres from the water, in an area considered highly dangerous. “The shaft was completely covered with soil and cracks were developing around it, posing a serious risk,” Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Chiratidzo Dube said.
Efforts to retrieve the body continued overnight, with local miners eventually recovering Musawamadlozi’s remains on the morning of 31 December. Police said the body was soiled and had bruises consistent with a collapse-related injury. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Filabusi District Hospital by a medical doctor, before his body was transferred to the mortuary pending a post-mortem examination at United Bulawayo Hospitals.
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Inspector Dube said police were investigating the case as a sudden death and warned the public about the dangers of illegal mining. “We urge members of the public to assess the risks involved in the activities they engage in before being attracted to making quick money. Their lives matter,” she said.
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