By Staff Reporter
Three people have been found dead in a waterlogged, muddy excavation in Budiriro 3, Harare, after council workers allegedly left the site open and unmarked while carrying out sewer line repairs.
The tragedy unfolded when two young men walking home from nearby shops encountered the pit. One of them stepped onto what appeared to be a solid surface but was in fact a layer of mud concealing the open excavation, and plunged in. His companion immediately ran for help and contacted emergency services.
When rescue diver Victor Kazembe also known as Coach Rambo, entered the pool, he made a grim discovery: instead of the young man who had just fallen in, he surfaced with the body of a young girl who had been reported missing since approximately 6pm the previous evening, after leaving home to visit local shops. A second dive recovered yet another victim — an older man. It was only on the third descent that Kazembe retrieved the body of the young man whose fall had triggered the emergency response.
What began as a single accident had uncovered a hidden death trap that had already claimed two lives before anyone raised the alarm.
Harare City Council Spokesperson Stanley Gama confirmed the incident and said investigations were underway to establish the full circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Mayor Jacob Mafume, Councillor for Harare, described the incident as a clear and direct case of negligence on the part of the responsible council department.
The Harare Residents Trust has called on police to charge all accountable council officials with culpable homicide.
The names of the three deceased will be released by police once their next of kin have been formally notified.
