Published by the government of Zimbabwe
4 April 2002
MORE than 3 000 hunger-stricken villagers have descended on a 4km stretch of the alluvial gold-rich Vagondo River, 30km outside Masvingo town where they have wreaked havoc in search of gold.
Pushed by hunger and imminent starvation, villages from Chivi, Zaka, Masvingo and Gutu districts have converged at the river near Mushandike irrigation scheme, destroying every piece of vegetation in search of the precious mineral.
Deep, open holes are now dotted all over the place and scores of felled trees now make a sorry sight as the diggers continued with reckless abandon.
The future of Mushandike Irrigation Scheme now hangs in the balance as the thousands of villagers are now about 2km from the fields of irrigation scheme and will soon be digging into the fields.
Holes
The Herald visited the place near Bhuka Business Centre and found the more than 3 000 villagers working like moles in holes dug haphazardly.
In an interview the chairman of the panners, Mr Kudakwashe Gwara, said there were at least 3 000 panners in his register but they could be much more on the ground since some school children joined their parents at the beginning of the school holiday.
"This whole stretch of land has more than 3 000 people digging for gold and some are making up to $4 000 on a good day and nothing on a bad one.
"Basically people are making a living from gold panning here and the numbers swelled when it became clear that there was a drought," said Mr Gwara.
He said panning had started in June last year with one person who picked up a piece of gold and that since then a few people had been trickling in.
However, said Mr Gwara, an influx of panners was noticed this year as the drought took its toll last month.
"Now there are more than 3 000 people digging and some of them have good jobs in town and you only notice them when you go into the town mid-week.
"There is also a good number of teachers digging for gold here and school children have joined in," said Mr Gwara.
There is now brisk business and scores of dealers from Masvingo are now supplying any commodity that is in demand.
"Water is sold for $100 per bucket because women wake up as early as 4am to fetch water at a pond some 4km away," he said.
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