Following the death of an employee in a workplace accident at Jena Mines in Silobela, the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Mineral Workers Union (ZDAMWU) has expressed concern over the lack of occupational safety at the entity.
According to reports from Jena Mines, the employee, Godfrey Ganagana died from inhaling carbon monoxide after he entered a zone with broken pipes containing compressed air and water further, exposing him to serious occupational hazards.
In a statement, ZDAMWU secretary general, Justice Chinhema said the death of Ganagana exposed negligence on the part of the employer.
“The union is disturbed that the victim was forced to perform that task without the required gas monitor device which is used to detect the presence of dangerous gas emission in the underground mine shafts. This negligence on the part of the employer for failing to provide such lifesaving equipment amounts to committing constructive murder and the mine authorities should be held accountable for the death of this innocent worker who have left behind two children,” said Chinhema
He said the company must institute an independent investigation to establish the circumstances that led to the unfortunate death and called on companies value employees lives.
“Given this sad development, the union is calling on the company to institute an independent investigation by inspectors from the National Social Security Authority and officials from the trade union to establish the exact circumstances leading to the death of Ganagana who was also a strong member of the union who fought tirelessly for the rights of his peers.
“We are calling on mining companies to stop mortgaging the lives of their workers by exposing them to avoidable occupation risks by ensuring that watertight safety measures are put in place to safeguard their workers against such avoidable accidents during the line of their duties,” he said
According to Chinhema, Ganagana, a gang leader met his fate while he had gone to inspect the safety of passage for his colleagues after the morning blast on September 3, 2020 at the Mine’s N15 Section and was at level 210 metres from the surface.
He adds “More than 10 workers have died in occupation accidents in both conventional and artisanal mines across the country yet nothing meaningful is being done by relevant authorities to address these callous acts which has not only taken away innocent lives but has robbed families of their bread winners.”
Early last year,dozens of illegal miners who were working in shafts at a disused Cricket Mine at Battlefields were trapped and killed, when a dam wall collapsed and flooded the shafts.
