Inside Inyathi Bloody Mines: A Villager's Sad Tale

Since the arrival of the miners from Shurugwi in Bubi district there has never been rest, writes an eye witness reporter, Mlamleli Ngwenya. 

A victim of the bloody gold wars nurses wounds at a local hospital

MATABELELAND SOUTH — ALL the way from Shurugwi the illegal miners arrived armed with machetes, knifes and swords. Security details did not do anything to stop them. 

They came following reports of a gold rush here (Bubi), particularly the discoveries of the claims which were left by John Muer, a white miner during the then Rhodesian era. 

Since their arrival they have caused at least 20 deaths. Some of their heinous crimes are not known since they throw the deceased in deep mine shafts that are known as impisi or empisini. 

They go into underground mines and harass villagers who are trying to irk a living through gold panning and take their ore by force. One is either forced to flee or  surrender without a fight. 

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They (the miners) have now taken the fight to villagers door steps. The merciless attack they unleashed in the middle of the Inyathi Business Centre famously known as KoMahamba at Senco night club is one case in point. 

Arrests were said to be made but this leaves mistrust in the community as to how genuine the arrests were? Lest we forget some members of the police are also part of these bloody, dirty war activities.  

A few days ago a some police officers were arrested after they were found looting gold ore from some of the controversial claims which are causing fights.  

After the Mahamba fight the same hooligans attacked villagers at Badala. They arrived at Tshux drinking spot caring machetes as they usually do but alas the day was not theirs as the locals retaliated and left one for dead. Villagers have vowed to resort to mob justice if security details do not intervene. 

And for these past few days, 15 of these hooligans raped a lady who they had offered a lift from durban mine where they have gained dominance and supremacy. 

They all raped her and left her fighting for her life at Impilo hospital. As if that was not enough they also attacked a caretaker at Queens area and mutilated his genitals.  

In Matabeleland we have three army barracks but they are failing to dispatch just one troop to deal with these people, leaving us community members in utter shock.  

To date, the hooligans still continue to rob people of their belongings and they remain untouched, what is the fate of the Bubi people under the circumstances? 

We understand that police officers are also going around intimidating locals. That must stop! 

This is a true report of what is happening in Bubi District — and specifically Inyathi mining  area as reported by Mlamleli Ngwenya, a citizen reporter from Bubi District. 

 All Citizen Reports published on The Citizen Bulletin have been independently written by citizen reporters and therefore do not directly or indirectly represent the views of The Citizen Bulletin. The Citizen Bulletin Editorial Team reserves the absolute right to edit ALL citizen reports submitted by members of the public.