An illegal gold panner named Macron Japajapa (40) from Nehanda village, Chief Kazangarare, Hurungwe in Karoi, was killed by an elephant in the Zambezi Valley Escarpment on September 12, 2023. 
Japajapa, his brother Knowledge (23), and other villagers went into the wilderness for unauthorized gold prospecting. Around 11 p.m., they paused near Mukwichi River for a break. They then encountered the elephant which killed Japajapa.
Inspector Margaret Chitove, the spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Mashonaland West confirmed the development. Said Chitove:
<blockquote>
The following morning the team continued with its journey, and along the way spotted a trumpeting elephant charging towards them emerging from a nearby bush.
The men bolted in different directions and later regrouped and this is when they noticed Macron Japajapa was missing and returned to scene and found him dead lying face-down.
</blockquote>
The body of the deceased showed evident injuries, including fractured legs and puncture wounds from the elephant’s tusks, which pierced from the back to the chest.
Authorities were informed, and the police promptly arrived at the location and transported the body to Kazangarare.
Law enforcement officials advised the public to refrain from intentionally entering areas inhabited by wildlife and to avoid engaging in illegal activities like gold panning.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

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Illegal Gold Panner Killed By An Elephant In Zambezi Valley Escarpment

Zimbabwean police arrested nine individuals on 11 July for illegally mining gold at the <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/National_University_of_Science_and_Technology/">National University of Science and Technology (NUST)</a> campus.
The police posted on Twitter that the arrests took place at the NUST campus and the Bulawayo City Council Khumalo pit. Along with these arrests, the police recovered 85 kg of gold ore, a generator, two picks, a hammer, two water pumps, two shovels, an axe, and a machete. Reads the tweet:
<blockquote>
On 11/07/23, Police in Bulawayo arrested nine people in connection with conducting illegal mining activities at NUST campus and Bulawayo City Council Khumalo pit.
The arrest led to the recovery of 85 kilogrammes of gold ore, a generator, two picks, a hammer, two water pumps, two shovels, an axe and a machete.
</blockquote>
The issue of invasion of properties by gold panners is not new in Zimbabwe. The NUST incident comes in the wake of a related incident that occurred in May, where a family from Kwekwe narrowly escaped death after part of their house collapsed into an underground mining tunnel beneath their home. The Rusike family had been unknowingly living on top of a huge mining tunnel for years until they detected some noises due to mining activities underground and vacated the house. Part of the house then collapsed into the tunnel after the family had moved out.
In March, at least seven learners at Globe and Phoenix Primary School in Kwekwe’s Central Business District, Midlands Province, were injured after a classroom block collapsed into a mine shaft. The school had previously decommissioned some of its classroom blocks due to illegal gold panners randomly digging within its premises.
Kwekwe, a city in Midlands Province, Zimbabwe, has many artisanal and small-scale miners who engage in gold panning, leading to such incidents of illegal mining.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Nine People Arrested For Illegal Gold Mining At NUST Campus

At least seven learners at Globe and Phoenix Primary school in <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Kwekwe">Kwekwe</a>’s Central Business District, Midlands Province have been reported injured after a classroom block collapsed into a mine shaft on Thursday morning.
Zimbabwe Republic Police Midlands Spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, told the <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/classroom-block-collapse-into-a-mineshaft/">Sunday News</a> that he was still seeking details on the incident.
However, sources close to the incident said at least seven students were injured in the accident.
The school last year was forced to decommission some of its classroom blocks after the school went under siege from illegal gold panners who were randomly digging within its premises.
 In Kwekwe, there are many artisanal and small-scale miners who engage in gold panning. 
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Students Injured As Classroom Collapses Into A Gold Mine Shaft

Hunger has pushed elderly people including grannies into gold panning in Silobela District in the Midlands Province.
This was said by the Zibagwe Rural District councillor for Ward 29, Willard Moyo.
Moyo told <a href="https://masvingomirror.com/grannies-turn-to-gold-panning-as-hunger-stalks-silobela/">The Mirror</a> that villagers have no option but to sell the few cattle that they have in order to buy food while schools’ feeding programmes have ceased.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that used to provide food handouts in most rural parts have reportedly withdrawn due to an unfavourable political environment and government policies.
Moyo urged the Government to bring back school feeding schemes claiming school kids are starving. He said:
<blockquote>
Most of the people in my ward including women have resorted to gold panning along the banks of the Gweru River.
The challenge is that Social Welfare food programs that traditionally give food to the less privileged have reduced the number of beneficiaries. We were told that the Government’s budget is limited.
We also used to receive food handouts from donors like the World Food Programme (WFP).
We appeal to the Government to increase the number of beneficiaries in social welfare schemes and to bring back school feeding programs before we die of hunger.
</blockquote>

Grannies Turn To Gold Panning In Silobela As Hunger Bites

A Zvishavane teacher accidentally fell headlong into a mine tunnel and died on Thursday morning while engaged in gold panning.
Pesanai Chiresve, a teacher at the nearby Gorge Chipadze Secondary School, had abandoned classes with his colleagues Tafadzwa Makasi, Aneas Makaya and Celopas Gumbo when tragedy struck.
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said the incident occurred near Dadaya High School on the outskirts of Zvishavane. Said Nyathi:
<blockquote>Police are investigating a case in which one Mr Pesanai Chiresve who was a teacher at George Chipadze Secondary School in Zvishavane died after he lost control of a hoist he was using to lower a colleague at a mine where they were illegally panning for gold. He lost footing and fell headlong into the mine tunnel.</blockquote>
Chiresve’s body was retrieved and taken to Zvishavane District Hospital mortuary. He will be buried at his rural home in Chivi this Saturday.
Makasi, who was being lowered underground using a tin tied to a rope, is said to be recuperating at Zvishavane District Hospital after sustaining fractures.
Zimbabwean teachers are the least-paid government employees, earning about US$35 per month.
As a result, teachers have abandoned schools and are now engaged activities such as gold panning, hawking and market gardening.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/teacher-dies-in-mine-mishap/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Herald</a></h4>

Gold Panning Teacher Falls Into Mine Tunnel, Dies

The Penhalonga community has welcomed the eviction of illegal gold miners (Makorokoza) who were polluting water reservoirs and contributing to general environmental degradation, a local politician has said.
Mutasa South legislator Regai Tsunga (MDC Alliance) told a Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (Zimcodd) Mutasa South virtual meeting on Saturday that the eviction was done after he wrote a letter to the Mines Ministry to deal with the issue. Tsunga said:
<blockquote>We feared contamination of our water and collapse, but I am happy that the illegal miners have already been chased away, so it’s good news and I want to thank the Mines ministry for the job well done.
Tsunga, however, said that illegal gold miners were still a menace in his constituency as they continue to lure young girls into prostitution.</blockquote>
The legislators said he would soon meet officials from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to address the problem of illegal gold mining in Mutasa.
Illegal gold mining has become rampant across the country due to high levels of unemployment. Artisanal miners usually engage in deadly violence as they fight for gold claims.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2020/08/govt-flushes-out-pengalonga-gold-panners-2/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewsDay</a></h4>

Govt Chases Makorokoza Out Of Penhalonga

Violent gold panners who are known as <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/MaShurugwi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MaShurugwi </a>reportedly told Mazowe villagers that they are untouchable, claiming to be linked to Minister of State Security Minister Owen Ncube.
An inter-ministerial task force including four ministers, Winston Chitando (Mines), <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Kazembe_Kazembe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kazembe Kazembe</a> (Information and Technology Communication), <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Fortune_Chasi" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fortune Chasi</a> (Energy) and Monica Mutsvangwa (Information and Publicity) visited the area. A ZANU PF youth who spoke to NewsDay said:
<blockquote>We told the ministers that all the chaos in this province is being fuelled by top-ranking people linked to the machete-wielding artisanal miners.
The panners are terrorising the province, raping, robbing and murdering people. As Zanu PF youth, we retaliated last month and the chaos resulted in the burning of two commuter omnibuses which wanted to transport the MaShurugwi out of the province.</blockquote>
The MaShurugwi gold panners hail from the Midlands province, Minister Ncube’s home area. Violence involving the machete-wielding panners reportedly left three people dead over the past weekend.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2019/10/minister-fingered-in-machete-wars/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewsDay</a></h4>

MaShurugwi Brag To Mazowe Villagers, 'We Are Untouchable'

Some gold panners have become a menace to Gwanda residents as they become violent at times thus becoming a threat to human life and property.
This was revealed by Ward Five councillor, Ernest Ncube recently during a Gwanda Local Peace Committee (LPC) meeting in the town. He said:
<blockquote>We have a serious problem in Ward Five. There are two business centres namely Njanji Shopping Centre and Red Cross Business Centre which have become hotspots.
At Njanji Shopping Centre there is a nightclub where gangs comprising mostly gold panners gather. When the nightclub closes at 4 AM these gangs regroup and start gambling outside.
Their gambling results in altercations and these fights move to residential areas and in the process, people are affected.
Their property is destroyed and all of these violent activities have left residents unsettled as they fear for their lives.</blockquote>
The rowdy gold panners allegedly engage in fistfights and hurl insults at one another in the full view of young children.
Ncube urged the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to deployed officers in the area as residents are now petrified by the marauding gangs.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/gold-panners-terrorise-gwanda-residents/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Chronicle</a></h4>

Gwanda Residents Living In Fear Of Rowdy Gold Panners

Several Makorokoza (illegal gold panners) are feared dead after a Shurugwi mine shaft they were working in collapsed. Some illegal miners who were at the scene said the mine, Wanderer Mine, had given them a warning about the weaknesses in the structure and they had left before the collapse.  They said however that some miners may still be trapped inside.
Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Senator Larry Mavhima said a team of experts is on the ground to ascertain the cause of the mine collapse.

Makorokoza Feared Dead After Mine Collapses In Shurugwi

Gold panners in Esigodini reportedly stormed a local clinic and locked up nurses, demanding to be treated of wounds sustained during gold wars.  Umzingwane acting District medical Officer Dr Simbarashe Samanyatwe said the incident occurred two weeks ago. He said health personnel no longer feel safe
<blockquote>This makes the need for us to have security posts availed at our rural health facilities to assist in times like this. We are having a lot of violent cases recorded in Umzingwane District and because of that we have some individuals that are bringing their violence to rural health centres and some nurses are feeling unsafe… We receive a lot of murder cases using machetes, knives and axes, so our staff members are now raising concerns over their safety too. As recent as four weeks back at Esigodini we had a case where individuals stabbed each other just three metres from the entrance of the institution so those situations present a security challenge for our staff which is our major worry.</blockquote>
<h3>More: <a href="http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/gold-panners-lock-up-nurses-in-clinic/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Sunday News</a></h3>

Wounded Esigodini Gold Panners Take Nurses Hostage, Demand Treatment

Kwekwe police have issued a ban on the carrying of dangerous weapons including machetes, in a bid to contain running battles between rival groups of gold panners.
Officer commanding Kwekwe District, Chief Superintendent David Tiese, issued a prohibition order under section 14(1) of the Public Order and Security Act (Posa) banning the carrying of dangerous weapons which include catapults, machetes, knobkeriies, knives, axes, spears and any traditional weapons whatsoever for a period ending end of April.
 
The order, which has affected people  in rural areas around Kwekwe district, was introduced following several battles in which illegal gold panners hacked each other with machetes. Police in Kwekwe had earlier suggested that the public surrender their weapons to the Zanu PF youth league. However the suggestion was resisted, leading to the blanket ban. Those found in possession of the weapons risk being jailed for at least six months or face a level five fine.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2017/03/08/bloody-panners-battles-force-police-issue-machetes-ban/">NewsDay</a>

Police issue machetes ban following running battles between gold panners in Kwekwe

A brutal fight erupted in Filabusi over a gold mining claim, which lead to one man dying after his foot had been chopped off.  Qalisani Moyo, the deceased is alleged to be the ringleader of a gang of gold panners from Esighodhini.  Ironically, Moyo was supposed to appear in court tomorrow,  having only been bailed out a few days ago for assaulting police officers. Moyo is alleged to have lead a gang of gold panners from Esighodhini who had been hired to wrestle control of Mosentase gold claim at HeyHill Farm from some Filabusi panners.
 
A resettled farmer told the Chronicle that:
<blockquote>Yesterday they phoned that he had dispatched his gang coming here armed with machetes, pangas, shovels, picks, axes and an assortment of other weapons. In the morning, Msongelwa Juba, a member of NWC(Neighbourhood Watch Committee) came to me and we went to investigate and found the body. We discovered that he was not from this area and we concluded that he was a member of the Esigodini gold baron’s gang.</blockquote>
 
More: <a href="http://www.chronicle.co.zw/gang-leader-dies-in-gold-war-thugs-invade-gold-claim-mass-fight-erupts/">Chronicle</a>

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