Harare – 06 January 2024 –The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG), National Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe (NMWUZ) and the Zimbabwe Diamond & Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU) demands a thorough investigation into the mine collapse that occurred at Redwing Mine on the 4th of January 2024 at around 6am and an appropriate response to ensure such a disaster does not occur again.
Preliminary investigations show that this was not a properly registered mine. It was operating without a mine manager as stipulated in Statutory Instrument 109 of 1990 Mining (Management and Safety) Regulations.
All safety procedures were not being followed. Underground pillars had been knocked down, thereby rendering the mine a death trap. The removal of pillars must have been observed by the inspectors from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development if they were doing their work properly.
Section 104 (2) (m) of the Mines and Minerals Act [Chapter 21:05], states that the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development should institute measures to ensure the safety and health of all persons employed in mining operations.
Further, according to several artisanal miners at Redwing, the structural movements started a day before the eventual collapse, meaning had the mine been operated by experienced management all workers would have been evacuated a day earlier.
We note with deep concern the prevalence of hundreds of so-called sponsors operating underground shafts at Redwing. These sponsors know nothing about mining. They use their financial muscle and political connections to bet on other people’s lives.
This raises serious questions on whether the many shafts operated by ‘sponsors’ are registered with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development. If they are not registered it means the law is being violated and very stringent action must be taken to end this lawlessness which continues to claim innocent lives.
We demand the following:
- An impartial investigation into the Redwing Mine Disaster. The investigating team must include the MMMD inspectorate department, Parliament of Zimbabwe, Chamber of Mines, Mine workers Unions and civil society, among others.
- A clear roadmap on the future of Redwing Mine and its gold-rich surroundings with a special focus on workers’ safety, wellbeing and livelihoods, environment and governance of mining operations in the area.
- Acceleration of rescue efforts to ensure those trapped are rescued or recovered. We call on the government to mobilize more resources to beef up the rescue activities being carried out by Redwing Mine rescue operators.
https://cnrgzim.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Joint-Statement-on-the-Redwing-Mine-Disaster.pdf