Honda Fit Plunges into Abandoned Chrome Pit: Six People Feared Dead in Shurugwi

SHURUGWI – A Honda Fit veered off the road and plunged into a disused chrome pit filled with water in Shurugwi, leaving six people feared dead.

The incident occurred on the 60km stretch between Shurugwi and Zvishavane, a route notorious for its hazards.

The vehicle was travelling from Shurugwi to Zvishavane when it lost control and fell into the abandoned pit last night.

Shurugwi District Development Coordinator,Rome Shangwa, confirmed the incident and stated that search operations are currently underway with sub-aqua teams deployed.

“Six people are feared dead. The vehicle fell into a disused mining pit near the road and we are still trying to establish what exactly happened,” said Shangwa.

The abandoned mining pits in Shurugwi have long been a source of concern for local residents, who have repeatedly called on the government to close them. This incident is not an isolated one, as there have been several reported cases of people falling into abandoned mine shafts in Zimbabwe.

In recent years, a 12-year-old boy fell into an abandoned mine shaft in Chegutu in June 2017 and a miner fell to his death in an abandoned mine shaft in Bindura in April 2015. In March 2018, two people died after falling into abandoned mine shafts in separate incidents in Kadoma and Shurugwi.

Locals are now pointing fingers at Chinese-owned mining companies, accusing them of abandoning the pits without proper closure, thereby posing a danger to both humans and livestock.

“These abandoned shafts are a death trap. The Chinese companies should be held responsible for closing them properly, rather than leaving them to claim more lives,” said a local resident.

Midlands police spokesperson, Emmanuel Mahoko, confirmed that they are still gathering information on the incident.