The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has strongly condemned the tragic death of Taurai Dozva (39), who was killed in a preventable accident at Sino Africa Huijin Holdings Gold Mine earlier this month.
Dozva, employed as a spotter responsible for guiding the movement of heavy mining vehicles, was tragically crushed by a fully loaded 40-ton tipper truck.
His untimely death has left his family devastated. Dozva is survived by his wife, Modester Samunda, and their three children: a daughter in Form 1, another in early childhood development, and a nine-month-old baby. As the sole breadwinner, his loss has plunged the family into a dire financial crisis.
“CNRG demands that Sino Africa Huijin Holdings Gold Mine immediately provide fair and just compensation to the Dozva family,” the statement reads. “Based on precedents within the mining sector, we believe an appropriate compensation package should not be less than US$20,000 to support Dozva’s wife and their three orphaned children. The mine must also ensure that all necessary paperwork, including Dozva’s NSSA details and payslips, are provided to the family.”
This tragic incident underscores the urgent need for stricter regulations and robust enforcement to safeguard the rights of workers in Zimbabwe’s mining industry. CNRG will continue to advocate for improved safety standards, fair labor practices, and accountability measures to prevent such devastating losses in the future.
Despite the family’s clear distress, the mining company offered a mere US$5,500 as compensation, including funeral expenses. Allegedly, mine officials pressured the family to sign a document acknowledging a paltry US$2,000 as sufficient compensation, blatantly disregarding their objections.
The death of Taurai Dozva is the latest in a series of incidents highlighting the widespread labor and safety concerns that plague Zimbabwe’s mining industry.
