A tragedy has struck Ngwaro Village, located under Chief Mapanzure in Zvishavane, where two children drowned while swimming in an abandoned open-pit chrome mine.

The young victims have been identified as nine-year-old Tendai Hove and her 11-year-old cousin, Leeroy Makungwe.

Village head Maxwell Moyo confirmed to NewZimbabwe.com that the incident took place on Saturday around 1100 hours.

"The children had been sent on an errand but were drawn to the mine pits left behind from the extraction activities.

"We recovered their bodies around 3 p.m. the same day," Moyo said.

"The other children who were with them were swimming in the shallower areas and managed to escape unharmed."

According to Village Head Ngwaro the mine is owned by a group of local investors operating under the ZimAsset framework with backing from Chinese investors.

The mining activities have raised safety concerns among villagers as the mine is only 800 meters from the village.

Moyo said they have always begged the miners to fill up the pits after exhausting the resource but the plea fell on deaf ears.

He said mining operations in the area started last year.

According to a villager who spoke on anonymity, there had long been concerns that such an accident would occur, yet the community feels powerless to address it.

"The miners leave behind these open pits that fill with water during this season, attracting children to play in them," the villager lamented.

"Mining is happening alarmingly close to our homes, and despite our complaints, nothing changes.

"The issue has become too political to resolve. We are left vulnerable, and our community, as well as our livestock, are at risk from these hazardous pits."