A 31-year-old woman was killed when a gold mine shaft collapsed at Hebenia Mine in Filabusi on Saturday, trapping three people underground, while a 20-year-old man drowned at Mantshame Dam the following day, police confirmed.
In the first incident, Sheba Ndlovu was pronounced dead at the scene after rescue teams recovered her body from an 11-metre-deep shaft. Her husband, Makhosana Ncube, 36, and fellow miner Melusi Mkandla, 32, were pulled out alive and escaped without serious injuries.
According to a police memorandum, the accident occurred around 4pm as the two men were extracting gold ore underground. Ndlovu, who was outside the shaft preparing food, noticed the ground becoming unstable and warned them moments before the collapse.
“On the 17th day of January 2025 at around 1600 hours, Makhosana Ncube and Melusi Mkandla were inside a mine shaft, which is approximately 11 metres deep, extracting gold ore, whilst Sheba Ndlovu (Makhosana Ncube’s spouse) was outside the shaft and was just close to the mine shaft cooking. Sheba Ndlovu then realised that the ground was unstable and shaky, and she rushed to the shaft and informed his husband that the mine shaft was collapsing as the soil was falling into the mine shaft. After a few seconds, the ground fell in and Sheba was also immersed inside the shaft together with her husband, Melusi Mkandla and the three were trapped underground,” the police memo read.
An excavator was later used in the rescue operation, assisted by a neighbouring mine. Police said the shaft appeared to be a disused one that had been resuscitated, and the ground was weakened by recent rains. Investigations are ongoing, and the mine owner has been asked to provide inspection records.
In a separate tragedy on Sunday, Prayford Zulu, 20, drowned while swimming at Mantshame Dam in Mahole. He had gone to the dam with his cousin, Minenhle Zulu, to bath.
“The deceased and his cousin brother, Minenhle Zulu started by washing their clothes before bathing. After washing their clothes, the two went inside the dam and started to swim,” the police memo stated.
“Whilst they were swimming, the now deceased drowned, and Minenhle Zulu tried to rescue him, but he failed. Minenhle Zulu rushed at home and advised his mother, Sheilar Zulu, about the incident. Minenhle Zulu and his mother, Sheilar Zulu proceeded to the dam where they failed locate the deceased.”
The body was taken to Filabusi District Hospital, where death was certified, and a post-mortem examination is pending.
Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Stanford Mguni confirmed both incidents.
“We encourage people to practice safety in their mines,with these rains they have to make sure their mines are secure, the soil is loose,” he said.
“As the Police, we encourage people to avoid entering into water, streams or dams, we also do not encourage them to swim or enter into water without life-saving equipment.”
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