A Scramble to Save Zimbabwean Lives

At least 40 miners in Zimbabwe are trapped underground after a shaft in a disused gold mine collapsed. The incident occurred late Wednesday in the town of Bindura, around 70 kilometres north of the capital Harare. The miners were working inside the disused Ran Gold Mine when a shaft caved in. Six miners have since been pulled from the rubble and taken to hospital. Mining is a major source of foreign currency for Zimbabwe, where gold alone accounts for 60 percent of exports. The landlocked southern African country is home to vast gold and mineral reserves, including diamonds and platinum. The gold sector provides jobs to nearly 10 percent of the country’s population, according to the International Crisis Group (ICG). Small-scale miners often operate illegally to avoid selling their bullion to the state-owned buyer, Fidelity Printers and Refiners, as they are paid only 55 percent in foreign currency. The remaining 45 percent is paid in Zimbabwean dollars, which is notorious for its weakness. Accidents are relatively common in decommissioned mines, particularly when the ground is loosened by rain.

SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS