MWE Correspondent
A devastating accident struck a gold mine in Mwakitolyo Village, located in Tanzania’s Shinyanga Region, when a section of the site caved in, trapping 17 individuals underground.
According to Assistant Superintendent Thomas Majuto, Acting Regional Commander of the Fire and Rescue Force of Tanzania, rescue operations ended Sunday afternoon, May 18. “A total of 17 individuals were involved in the incident. We successfully rescued eleven, while six were unfortunately found dead,” Majuto confirmed during a press briefing.
Unregistered Miners Involved
Preliminary findings revealed that approximately 20 people were present at the mine when the collapse occurred, though only 17 were involved in the recovery effort. Many of the victims were not listed in the official miners’ logbook, as they were identified as unauthorised or illegal miners. These individuals often sneak into licensed mining areas at night to search for gold-bearing rock, bypassing official procedures and safety checks.
“These are people commonly referred to by an unpleasant name I will not repeat. They access mining zones without permission, typically during night hours,” said Majuto. “That’s why their names were missing from the registry.”
Call for Greater Safety Awareness
Authorities have since emphasized the importance of adhering to mining safety protocols, including proper sign-in and sign-out procedures at mining sites and the legal requirement to register with the relevant authorities.
“Let us not allow the chase for money to endanger human lives,” Majuto appealed. “People should report risky zones to mining supervisors or government agencies. No one’s life is worth losing over unauthorized digging.”
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Regional Commissioner Issues Statement
Shinyanga Regional Commissioner, Mr. Anamringi Macha, who visited the site, confirmed that the accident occurred on Saturday evening, May 17. He reiterated that the mine in question is officially owned by the Hapa Kazi Tu group, although the affected miners were operating illegally.
“This tragedy could have been avoided,” Mr. Macha said. “It’s a wake-up call for stronger regulatory enforcement and cooperation between miners and government officials.”
Tanzania’s Mining Landscape
Tanzania is one of Africa’s largest producers of gold, and the mining sector remains a crucial part of the national economy. But incidents like this shine a spotlight on the challenges of informal or artisanal mining, where lack of training, poor safety enforcement, and disregard for legal procedures can result in deadly consequences.
What’s Next?
Investigations are ongoing, and the Ministry of Minerals is expected to release an official report. In the meantime, local authorities are urging all miners, including small-scale operators, to respect regulations for their own safety.
