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Kudakwashe Chidziya Manicaland Correspondent
AN illegal gold miner died on Sunday in Old Mutare after a shaft he was working in collapsed and his colleagues failed to rescue him on time.

Ezra Chifamba (22) of Chikanga was trapped for several minutes in the tunnel before he died due to lack of oxygen.  Manicaland Police Spokesman Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa confirmed the incident.

“The police can confirm that an illegal gold miner Ezra Chifamba, was trapped to death after the shaft he was working in collapsed on Sunday,” he said. He said Chifamba had arrived at Plot 1 Premiere Estate at Old Mutare at around 9am on Sunday in the company of other gold panners to carry out their mining activities and when the shaft collapsed, Chifamba was in the company of Tichawona Chipitire (30).

“Chipitire managed to survive the collapse and latter mobilised other miners to help save Chifamba, but it was already too late as he had suffocated. The other miners later retrieved his body,” said Insp Kakohwa.

The incident comes at a time when the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and the police have been trying to remove illegal miners from the various areas.

Recently, gold panners invaded Sakubva river where they dug up trenches in search of gold, only to abandon them after realising that there was no gold.