Mines and Mining Development Minister Zhemu Soda has revealed that the Bayhorse Mine accident was a result of haphazard extraction methods that were supervised by unqualified personnel, reported <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/shoddy-extractive-methods-triggered-bayhorse-mine-disaster-minister-zhemu/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>.
More than nine miners were killed in the accident which occurred on Friday last week at Bayhorse Mine in Chakari, Chegutu District, Mashonaland West Province.
Addressing the media in Harare during a Gold Mobilisation Send-Off workshop held Monday, Soda blamed the mine authorities for the accident. He said:
<blockquote>
The accident at Chakari happened as a result of non-compliance, so in as much as we could be talking of the water (logging), to us, the accident was mainly due to human error.
We are also hearing that there was no qualified mine manager at the affected mine who could actually give guidance on what could be undertaken in the shafts.
</blockquote>
Soda revealed that the Ministry of Mines was only informed about the accident six hours later and as a result, mining engineers could not be deployed to the scene timeously. He said:
<blockquote>
The most unfortunate thing is how the information was relayed to the Ministry of Mines after the accident; the police called us at 4 pm when the accident had occurred at 10 am.
So, our mining engineers had to be mobilised to the scene and started working with other stakeholders who had already converged at the mine to provide rescue operations.
During the night of that same Friday, two bodies were retrieved, and eight miners were rescued and taken to hospital.
Two more bodies were retrieved the following day, and as we speak, we are still to account for some people.
However, we hear from the rescue teams that some people were seen trapped in tunnels, suggesting that they could be dead.
</blockquote>
Soda acknowledged there were conflicting figures for fatalities, missing persons and survivors.
Mines Deputy Minister, Polite Kambamura visited the accident site on Saturday and said he was briefed that 34 employees had entered the gold mine when the shaft collapsed.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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"Human Error" Caused Bayhorse Mine Disaster - Minister Soda

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has announced the names of four victims of a mine accident that occurred last week in Kadoma.
A mine shaft collapsed on 39 artisanal miners on 29 September at Bayhorse Mine, Chegutu, Mashonaland West Province.
ZRP spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the four victims were positively identified by their next of kin. The deceased have been identified as follows:
<ul>
<li>Forbes Murombedzi (24) of Village 11 Musengezi, Zvimba</li>
<li>Tawanda Gavaza (28) of Village 11, Musengezi Resettlement, Chegutu</li>
<li>Godfree Baro (27) of Mariyapera Compound, Durawalls, Chegutu</li>
<li>Lloyd Mashavave (40) of Waverly, Kadoma</li>
</ul>
Assistant Commissioner Nyathi said the bodies of the victims were taken to Chegutu General Hospital for post-mortem.
He added that nine mine workers were rescued and are admitted at Kadoma General Hospital.
The Police spokesperson said more information pertaining to the incident will be released in due course as rescue operations are still underway.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Four Chegutu Mine Accident Victims Identified

The Zimbabwe Miners Federation has confirmed the collapse of the Bayhorse Mine in Chakari, Chegutu, where approximately 42 people are believed to be trapped. So far, five individuals have been rescued.
The ZMF has dispatched its Secretary General and the Chairman of the Chegutu Miners Association to assess the situation and provide updates on the ongoing rescue operations. In a statement seen by Pindula News, the association said:
<blockquote>
Name of mine: Bayhorse
Location: Chakari Chegutu
Affiliate: ZMF Chegutu Miners Association Mine
Owner: Sigauke T
<h3>SUBJECT: MINE COLLAPSE AT BAYHOSE IN CHEGUTU (CHAKARI)</h3>
There has been a collapse of a mine shaft at one of our ZMF members’ mine.
It is believed that about 42 people are still trapped underground and 5 have been rescued so far. We have since tasked our ZMF Secretary General and Chegutu Miners Association Chairman to go and establish the true facts on the ground and we shall keep you appraised of the rescue operations by the relevant teams.
Let us be patient and wait for all official communication to come from ZRP, Ministry of Mines and other Government arms.
</blockquote>
There have been reports that up to 30 people may have lost their lives in the collapse. The community in Chakari has criticised mine guards for obstructing rescue efforts by artisanal miners, stating that more lives could have been saved. Community members told journalist Owen Matava that rescue efforts were still to be conducted as of 8 p.m. on Friday.
According to Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Polite Kambamura, a government team assessed the situation and confirmed that a mine collapse occurred at around 10 a.m. The team also established that 34 miners were trapped underground, with 13 managing to escape. Unfortunately, there are concerns that the remaining 21 individuals may have lost their lives.
According to iHarare, six bodies had been recovered as of Friday evening, and rescue operations were ongoing to save the remaining 15 trapped miners.
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