Gold clashes turn suburb into war zone

RESIDENTS in Amaveni high-density suburb in Kwekwe are living in fear as gold panning groups have unleashed terror on the town’s oldest location with more than eight people alleged to have died in the past few months in clashes among miners.

Two weeks ago, a Kwekwe man Washington Dick was allegedly killed in broad daylight in the town’s Central Business District when he clashed with a syndicate led by another man only identified as Likwa who stabbed him 19 times.

There was chaos and pandemonium in the gold mining town’s CBD and business came to a halt as people scurried for cover in fear of being caught in the crossfire while a hapless Dick was being butchered. Amaveni residents said they were now living in fear as the battles that emanate from disputes over abandoned shafts at Globe and Phoenix Mine were now being fought within the suburb.

A vendor at Amaveni Shopping Centre, Mrs Violet Muchaka said people were no longer safe as at times the fights go for more than an hour.

“We are now fearing for our lives. The police are slow to react and our lives are now in danger. What worries the most is that these perpetrators walk around with machetes. At one point a fight between two syndicates went on for over an hour and we had to seek refuge in garages and flea markets. No one was arrested but a lot of people were hurt,” she said.

A victim, Mr Tenson Sibanda said he was attacked on his way home from the mine when a group of five gold panners pounced on him and his colleague after they suspected that they had sold their ore and they had money.

He was struck on the head, arm and stomach and is still nursing the injuries he sustained from the attack.

“I feel I am very lucky to be alive. I was attacked by unknown assailants who just pounced on me and my friend while we were on our way home. The five suspected that we had money and they robbed us. The five are still at large. I am recovering well and soon I will go back to work,” he said.

Amaveni constituency development officer, Ms Angela Nyathi said there were about eight people who died this year as a result of the armed conflicts among illegal gold panners.

“So far this year there are about eight people who died due to these clashes. There are several people who were injured including a woman whose limb was cut off while another panner had his arm chopped off. There is a lady who is still battling for her life at Parirenyatwa (Group of Hospitals) who was attacked with machetes. We reported the matter to our local Member of Parliament, (Kwekwe Central representative in the National Assembly) Cde Masango Matambanadzo who informed the police and the members of the joint operation command (JOC),” she said.

Cde Matambanadzo confirmed that there were running battles of illegal gold miners from Globe and Phoenix.

“We are very concerned with the safety of the people in Amaveni. There are a lot of people who fell victim to these illegal miners who move around armed with machetes. In some instances they don’t fight among themselves but they end up assaulting members of the public. People are now living in fear,” he said.

Acting Midlands Police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende could neither deny nor confirm the incidents.

“I have not been in the office for a very long time so I will be able to respond on Monday,” she said.