Mvuma, Zimbabwe – A gold panner has been arrested in Mvuma for digging under a railway line, the National Railway of Zimbabwe (NRZ) said.
The panner was arrested by loss control officers of the NRZ on Sunday.
The NRZ said the panner had caused extensive damaged to the rail tracks (as shown in the main picture).
”The NRZ urges people not to engage in mining activities within the railway reserve which is land 45 metres on either side of the tracks. It is an offence under the Railways Act to prospect for minerals within the railway reserve and is punishable by up to 10 years in jail,” the NRZ said.
Zimbabwe has thousands illegal gold panners who dig for the precious metal in several areas in the southern African country.
Harsh economic conditions force unemployed people to illegally pan for gold.
Despite illegal gold panning, the government still buys gold from illegal miners known as Makorokoza.
The gold panners have caused damage to the environment and in some cases in Kwekwe a classroom and a house collapsed due to under illegal gold panning.