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Nomvelo Siziba, Chronicle Reporter

ONE person died on the spot while another was seriously injured when a tunnel from where they were illegally extracting coke at the Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) waste dump collapsed.

Authorities said the deceased, Simelweyinkosi Dube (31) and her colleague whose identity was not revealed, both from Number A Section in the mining town, were on Wednesday illegally extracting coke from the Colliery waste dump when the tunnel collapsed, trapping them inside.

A passerby managed to rescue only one woman while the other was retrieved with the help of Colliery front-end loader but she was already dead.

The Chronicle was told that the women lived off selling the coke in foreign currency.

HCCL spokesperson Mrs Rugare Dhobbie confirmed the incident. “The incident occurred on Wednesday when two non-Colliery employees were illegally extracting and scavenging coke from the Colliery waste dump. While they were extracting coke, the tunnel collapsed and they were buried in sand.  One was rescued by a passerby while the other was retrieved with the help of a front-end loader and had died on the spot,” said Mrs Dhobbie.

 She said the chief Government mining engineer and the ZRP were notified as per statutory requirement.

“Full investigations will follow. However, let me highlight that the two women trespassed into mine premises to carry out illegal extraction of coke which they would have sold unlawfully to buyers. The police have released the name of the deceased as Simelweyinkosi Dube. A woman aged 31, who resided at A110B Madumabisa, Place — Gubha dump site,” said Mrs Dhobbie.

The body of the deceased was taken by the police and the other victim was ferried to Hwange Colliery Hospital. 

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese said she was in Harare and could not comment. – @nomvelosiziba.