TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
A German firm, Group DMT, contracted to investigate the causes of underground fires in the mining town of Hwange, will submit its report to Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) and the government by March this year, a government official has said.
Group DMT was recently engaged by HCCL. Government has a controlling stake in a coal miner, which is currently under receivership.
Grindale Engineering executive, Dale Sibanda is the judicial manager. Sibanda is assisted by Munashe Shava, the Great Dyke Investment chief operating officer and Mutsa Jean Remba, who is the managing partner of Dube, Manikai and Hwacha law firm.
Mines and Mining Development minister, Winston Chitando, said rehabilitation works will commence after the contractor’s recommendations.
“The international consultants are investigating what could have happened. They have done similar work in Europe and the Middle East and of course in Africa. They are looking at what caused that hole to come up and what is underneath,” Chitando said.
He added: “They (Group DMT) will issue a report to the management of the HCCL . And the government will receive it by March (2022). With Cabinet’s involvement we will take the necessary remedial action to make sure that whatever problem is there is resolved. It’s a matter which the government takes seriously.
“After the report which will also contain recommendations is tabled which will give understanding of the scope of the fires then the actual rehabilitation works will commence.”
Chitando said the underground fires have become dangerous to people and road infrastructure.
Locals have expressed concern over the emergence of underground fires at some old excavation sites with fears rising that they could spread to residential areas. Several people have been left with permanent disabilities after being burnt by underground coal fires over the years with calls growing for more to be done to avert a recurrent of incidents.
Recently, an 8-year-old girl from Makwika village in Hwange was severely burnt while playing with friends at a coal dumpsite and died a few days after both her legs were amputated.
