Lushongwe Village in Gwanda, Zimbabwe, was plunged into grief and sorrow as the community mourned the loss of four family members who tragically lost their lives in a gas accident. Mrs Clester Ndlovu (26), her four-year-old son, Learnmore, her sister Mrs Siziwe Nyathi (21), and her daughter, Thembelihle (2), were among the 17 victims who perished due to gas inhalation at an informal settlement in Boksburg, located outside Johannesburg, South Africa. The incident, which occurred on July 6 in Angelo’s Squatter Camp, has brought Zimbabwe to a standstill, leaving family and friends devastated.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the toxic gas responsible for the fatalities was being utilized by illegal miners to extract what they believed to be gold from the soil. Angelo’s Squatter Camp, known for its long-standing issue of illegal mining activities, has been plagued by the presence of gold and coal miners who operate in abandoned mine shafts spanning hundreds of kilometers.
The victims, including Mrs Ndlovu, her son, and Mrs Nyathi and her daughter, were found within a 100-meter radius of the scene. The tragic circumstances of their deaths have left the community grappling with the harsh reality of losing their loved ones.
In a heart-wrenching scene, mourners could not contain their grief as the four coffins were solemnly removed from the hearses. The weight of the loss was palpable as relatives and friends struggled to come to terms with the sudden departure of their beloved family members.
On a somber Saturday afternoon, the four victims were laid to rest at their rural homes in Lushongwe Village in Gwanda. Mrs Ndlovu and her son were buried at her father’s homestead, while Mrs Nyathi and her daughter found their final resting place at her maternal grandmother’s homestead. The emotional funerals served as a reminder of the deep void left behind by their untimely deaths.
Mrs Ndlovu’s surviving children, aged three months and eight years, were shielded from the deadly gas by their father, Mr Patrick Ndlovu, who covered them with a blanket. This act likely minimized the amount of toxic gas they inhaled. Mr Ndlovu himself was hospitalized for five days due to the incident.
Sharing his harrowing experience, Mr Ndlovu described returning home to the distressing sounds of wailing and a foul smell emanating from one of the shacks. He discovered his wife and children lying on the floor, including their three-month-old baby and the two older children. Acting swiftly, he placed the infant on the bed and covered her with a blanket before instructing his eight-year-old son to do the same.
Regrettably, Mr Ndlovu lost consciousness and later awoke in a hospital bed. It was then that he learned of the tragic deaths of his wife and their four-year-old son at the scene.
The incident also affected those who came to pay their respects the following day. Mr Ndlovu’s cousin, Ms Siphokuhle Ncube, recounted the lingering presence of the poisonous gas in the air, even though it had subsided. To navigate the area safely, masks had to be worn.
Mr Zwelihle Nyathi, the grandfather of the two deceased women, expressed the profound pain of losing family members in such a tragic incident. He described his grandchildren as young souls, leaving behind a tremendous responsibility for the family to care for their children. The loss has devastated the entire family, leaving a void that cannot be filled.
The Zimbabwean Embassy in South Africa extended its assistance to the grieving family, facilitating the repatriation of the bodies. Additionally, support from the Zimbabwe consulate in Johannesburg ensured the processing of necessary documents and covered the costs of repatriation.
Community members in Gwanda rallied together to provide support and resources to the bereaved family. Their efforts, combined with the intervention of the Zimbabwean Government led by President Mnangagwa, brought much-needed relief during this painful period. Cde Lungisani Ncube, the Zanu-PF candidate for Gwanda North Constituency, expressed gratitude for the support received, noting that repatriating bodies from South Africa often poses significant challenges.
The horrific incident unfolded when gas leaked from a cylinder that was being tampered with by a group of illegal miners, who intended to use the gas for processing gold. Reports from South African media and witnesses indicate that the gas bottle, which leaked, had been stolen from a local company in the area.
As the grieving community continues to mourn the loss of the four family members, this tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with illegal mining activities and the need for comprehensive safety measures to prevent similar accidents in the future.