Human Remains Discovered at Silobela Mine
Human remains have been discovered at Jena Mine’s Black Dawn section in Silobela reigniting fears of mass graves tied to Zimbabwe’s liberation war and Gukurahundi atrocities. Villagers are now demanding cultural rites, investigations and closure for families of the disappeared.
Dumisani Ndlovu 
Silobela - Human remains have been discovered at Black Dawn, a section within the Jena Mine concession in Silobela, sparking calls from the local community for a formal investigation and the performance of traditional rites.
The discovery was made by artisanal miners on Friday, May 8, during routine gold panning operations.
The find has reportedly unsettled the local community, with some residents speculating that the remains could be linked to historical events, including the liberation struggle or post-independence disturbances like the Gukurahundi.
Ward 20 Councillor, Maqhawe Moyo, stated that the discovery was not unexpected for local leadership, who had previously cautioned against excavating the area.
"We have always known about these pits and have spoken about them for years," said Cllr Moyo.
"We warned the miners before operations began, but those warnings were ignored," he said.
The Black Dawn site is part of the historic Jena Mine, which dates back to the colonial era.
Cllr. Moyo noted that while the mine management had partitioned sections into tributes for various miners, concerns regarding the presence of human graves had persisted among villagers.
He further expressed the cultural significance of the discovery, noting that the disturbance of the site necessitated traditional intervention.
"In our culture, it is taboo to disturb such remains without rituals being performed.
"These people deserve dignity. The area must be cleansed and families must be allowed to honour the dead properly," he said.
There are also allegations that some miners may have tampered with the site by removing bones before the arrival of the police.
Cllr. Moyo expressed concern that such actions could compromise the identification process.
"The proper process would have been to establish who the remains belong to before anything else.
"Families should perform rituals and cleansing ceremonies before mining activities continue," he added.
Silobela has a documented history of unresolved disappearances and many residents believe that a comprehensive excavation of the site could provide closure to families who lost relatives during various periods of the country's history.
Cllr. Moyo suggested that the remains found near the surface may indicate that more lie beneath.
Contacted for comment, Midlands provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, said the police were yet to receive an official report regarding the incident.
Operations at the specific site have reportedly grounded to a halt as the community awaits official guidance on the handling of the remains.
