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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A 26-YEAR-OLD illegal gold panner from Matobo in Matabeleland South allegedly killed his elder brother in a dispute over a mining claim.  Keeplife Msimanga allegedly struck his brother, Alley Msimanga, 28, with a brick on the head on Saturday resulting in his death. He was arrested while attending his brother’s funeral in Bulawayo on Sunday. “Keeplife was arrested on Sunday around 5PM by police at Barbourfields Police Station while he was trying to attend his brother’s funeral in Makokoba suburb. He is expected to appear in court soon,” a police officer told Chronicle yesterday.

Chief Masuku said Keeplife found his brother Alley fighting with another illegal miner in the area over a mining claim.
He said Keeplife intervened and insisted that the mining claim belonged to his brother’s rival.

“Keeplife found his brother fighting with an illegal miner and took the miner’s side. Alley turned on his younger brother and assaulted him for intervening,” said the chief.
He said Keeplife took to his heels in order to avoid his “stronger” elder brother but Alley caught up with him and continued assaulting him.
Chief Masuku said Keeplife picked up a brick and struck his brother on the head.

“Alley fell to the ground unconscious and he was rushed to the hospital but died upon admission to Mpilo Central Hospital,” he said.
Chief Masuku said authorities needed to bring sanity to mining areas as they had become blood shedding zones.

“The illegal panners are operating in broad daylight and no one is bothering to stop them. There are cases where you find separate groups of miners fighting for the same claim with each claiming ownership,” said Chief Masuku.

He added: “It could be better if such issues are resolved once and for all and mining areas are properly allocated to the rightful people. If this is not done then there will be continuous fighting and killing in mining areas.”

In a recent incident, two illegal miners from the same district were axed and injured during a dispute over a mining claim at Nugget mine. One was injured on the shoulder and the other on the nose.

A group of illegal gold panners numbering about 100 from Esigodini invaded Mac Mageza Syndicate and violently displaced illegal gold panners from the area.
Police were overwhelmed by the large number of fighting miners and had to send for reinforcements from a neighbouring district.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Philani Ndebele, could not comment on the incident, saying he had not received the report.