Chaos erupted at Queens Mine in Bubi District, Matabeleland North, when a 31‑year‑old man was shot dead and another injured by a mine security guard, igniting clashes with angry residents and miners as police struggled to contain the situation.

Thabo Ngwenya, (31) was shot three times in the chest while walking to the shops near DGL5 Mine.

Another man, sent by his mother on an errand, was wounded in the right arm.

The attack immediately sparked outrage from residents, who accused mine security of using excessive force against ordinary community members.

Witnesses told a Zimpapers crew that “the owner of the mine does not want people walking close to the premises,” and they claimed similar incidents had happened before.

Shortly after the shooting, police arrived to collect Ngwenya’s body, but residents blocked them, insisting the case would “be forgotten” if the body left the scene.

The standoff grew tense as the crowd demanded accountability and forced officers to remain at the mine’s gate.

Anger escalated as miners and residents set tyres alight, hurled stones, and smashed windows.

Building on this fury, the crowd broke through a small gate and carried Ngwenya’s coffin into the guard room in a symbolic act of defiance against mine security.

The confrontation revealed the depth of frustration among locals after repeated clashes with mine authorities.

Police eventually withdrew, leaving Ngwenya’s body in the custody of the community and miners.

Their retreat exposed the deep mistrust between residents, mine officials, and law enforcement, with growing calls for a thorough investigation into the shooting and stronger measures to prevent further violence.