A tragic accident at Sino Africa Huijin Holdings Gold Mine in Old Mutare has sparked outrage after the family of Taurai Dozva, a 39-year-old mine worker, was allegedly forced to accept a grossly inadequate compensation for his death.
Dozva, employed as a spotter responsible for directing heavy mining vehicles, was fatally struck by a 40-tonne tipper truck on January 10, 2025. In a callous display of disregard for human life, his employer offered a mere $3,500 for burial costs and then a further insult – a paltry $2,000 as final compensation to his grieving family.
The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) vehemently condemned this blatant exploitation, stating, “After initially providing $3,500 for burial expenses, they then offered a mere $2,000 as compensation to his grieving family. The mine owners forced the bereaved wife and family representatives to sign a document acknowledging the US$2,000 as sufficient compensation, despite their clear disagreement.”
This insultingly low sum offers little solace to Dozva’s wife, Modester Samunda, and their three children, the youngest just nine months old. Dozva was the sole breadwinner, and his family now faces an uncertain future without his support.
CNRG argued that a more appropriate compensation figure would be $20,000, reflecting the value of a human life and the devastating impact of this loss.
“This tragic incident underscores the urgent need for stricter regulations and robust enforcement to protect the rights of workers in Zimbabwe’s mining sector,” CNRG emphasized. “CNRG will continue to advocate for improved safety standards, fair labor practices, and accountability measures within the industry.”
The organization also sharply criticized the government’s inaction on a previous petition filed in November 2023, which highlighted unsafe practices at the mine. “Had the government acted on the petition,” CNRG declared, “Taurai Dozva would not have met such a cruel and preventable death.”
CNRG urged the public, civil society, and relevant authorities to demand justice for Dozva’s family. “We stand in solidarity with Taurai Dozva’s family and call for proper compensation,” the statement concluded.
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