Staff Reporter
Globe and Phoenix Primary School in Kwekwe today collapsed and curved in into the mother earth due to illegal gold mining currently underway underneath its classrooms.
The incident left several pupils who were attending classes injured.
Illegal miners have been digging under the school where there is underground tunnels left behind by the Germans who once worked at the now disused mine.
In December last year the school decommissioned two classroom blocks over fears they will collapse anytime because of illegal gold mining activities that have been occurring beneath the school.
Scores of the illegal miners have also died in the underground tunnels but authorities have kept a lid on the numbers of the casualties.
Prominent Kwekwe based human rights activist Emmanuel Nkosilathi Moyo was one of the first people to visit the school after collapse of the classroom block this morning.
He told Gem Nation News that the illegal mining happening at the school is backed by politicians from Zanu PF and so it is happening unhindered.
“The artisanal mining that has caused the collapse of the classroom block is being done by people with political muscles, Zanu PF top chefs to be frank,” he said.
Moyo said several warnings have been issued before but nothing has happened to the culprits.
“Environmental warnings have been given before but the mining continues because the culprits have political protection.”
“So the classroom block collapsed in the morning while children were in class and seven have been injured and rushed to the hospital.”
“I recommend that the school close with immediate effect and relocate elsewhere. Those doing the mining there must be held responsible and the law must take its course to protect the lives of the little ones,” he said.
More eye witnesses and illegal miners told this publication that the worst is yet to happen and warned that the Kwekwe CBD itself can soon collapse and curve in.
“The city of Kwekwe’s CBD is actually in the same risk.
“The miners are digging under it as we speak. Anytime the same can happen there. I and my friends are actually involved in the illegal mining and we work under the buildings of Kwekwe CBD itself.
“Noone can stop us because top bosses in Government and Zanu PF are behind us,” he said.
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