Illegal miners invade yet another school as fears of collapse mount
Brenna Matendere
Harare—At least 80 Illegal gold miners have invaded Dalny Mine 2 Primary School in Mashonaland West province.
The invasion started in early November and intensified when schools closed on 6 December.
The miners, popularly known as makorokoza, have dug up several parts of the school premises in search of gold and are sinking tunnels beneath the classrooms.
This, parents and teachers who talked to NewsHub said, could lead to the sudden collapse of buildings, injury and even death.
The ministry of Primary and Secondary Education says it has been informed of the invasion.
Ministry spokesperson, Taungana Ndoro, told NewsHub on Wednesday, 11 December 2024, that government was working on bringing back normalcy to the school, but did not specify what action they had adopted.
“We are aware of the matter and are working together with other departments like the ministries of Mines, Local Government, Environment, Provincial Affairs and Devolution to find a lasting solution that will ensure that we continue to provide quality education in a safe learning environment,” he said.
Dalny Mine 2 Primary School has an enrolment of more than 600 learners and 22 teachers.
In 2023, the school had a Grade 7 pass rate of 26.8% which marginally improved to 26.9% in 2024.
“The school is so crucial in our community and serves over 500 family members with children there. However, artisanal miners have invaded it. More such illegal activities are bound to happen since its holiday and there is no one. Authorities must act fast to save the school,” said the nephew of a pupil at the school.
Another parent said efforts by nearby community members to drive out the illegal miners from the school have been difficult because they operate at night while many of them are not originally from the area.
“It’s dangerous for community members to drive out the invaders at night. When the gold rush at the school started, a lot of the miners from far away places came and so these are virtually strange people,” said the parent.
The police has so far taken no action against the invaders.
The invasion by the illegal miners has brought back memories of dangerous mining activities in Kwekwe when, in March 2023, a classroom collapsed into a tunnel, injuring 14 learners and forcing closure of the school.
Illegal miners had over the years dug tunnels underneath the school to eke out gold at Globe and Phoenix Primary School.
It was not clear why the police and other relevant agencies had failed to flush out the makorokoza.
But illegal and artisanal gold mining in Kwekwe and other parts of the Midlands province—just like Kadoma and surrounding areas in Mashonaland West province—is controlled by powerful political cartels.
Senior and junior police officers are reportedly also taking part in the gold mining activities or turning a blind eye because of fear of the political elites.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) president, Obert Masaraure, warned that Dalny Mine 2 Primary could meet the same fate as Globe and Phoenix.
“The fate of Globe and Phoenix Primary School will soon meet the Sanyati school. We are calling upon law enforcement agents to intervene,” he said.
In the event that Dalny Mine 2 Primary School collapses, it will be difficult to find other options for learners and teachers.
“The closest school to Dalny 2 Primary is Dalny 1 Primary which already accommodates 1 500 learners. There is no room for the 600 learners from Dalny 2. If Dalny 2 Primary School is allowed to collapse, 600 learners will be out of school.
“Zimbabwe already has a shortage of over 3 000 schools and we cannot afford to lose a great school like Dalny 2 Primary,” said Masaraure.