A tragic mining accident that claimed eight lives in Kasungu District on Tuesday has reignited urgent calls for the Malawian government to regulate and formalize illegal mining operations nationwide.
The disaster occurred when an open-pit gold mine collapsed in Kasalika Village, Sub-Traditional Authority Suza, underscoring the severe risks of unregulated mining and the need for safer practices and legal oversight.
The victims, most of them women, were buried alive when a trench wall gave way, reportedly due to strong vibrations caused by a drilling machine operating at night.
According to Village Headman Ndalama, the machine destabilized the already fragile soil structure. He described the scene as “devastating,” noting that at least 13 people were working in the area at the time. Five survivors sustained injuries and were rushed to the hospital.
Mining expert Grain Malunga, speaking to Malawi24 in the aftermath of the incident, emphasized the urgent need to formalize small-scale mining operations. He warned that without government intervention, the sector risks becoming increasingly dangerous and economically unviable.
“We are not progressing in our support for small-scale miners,” Malunga said. “They lack proper tools, training, and guidance from the Ministry of Mining. This sector has the potential to create wealth, but without formalization, it’s becoming dangerously chaotic.”
Kasungu Police Officer-in-Charge Obrey Nyirenda described the mine as a “death trap,” highlighting the lack of safety measures. He clarified that while the mining was conducted in an open pit, the unstable soil and the use of heavy machinery without safeguards made the site extremely hazardous.
“The depth of the trenches and lack of proper engineering make this area high-risk,” Nyirenda said. “The site should be shut down immediately until long-term safety solutions are found.”
District Commissioner James Kanyangalazi called the incident a “heartbreaking tragedy” and confirmed that the council had reported the disaster to central government authorities. He added that emergency support, including coffins and food, would be provided to the bereaved families.
However, he acknowledged that local authorities face challenges in regulating such sites due to the slow decentralization of the Ministry of Mining.
Locals report that the Kasalika gold mine has been in operation since 2019, with farmland increasingly converted into excavation sites. Despite the obvious dangers, the lure of economic gain remains strong, with gold reportedly sold to buyers from Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.
Some miners told us that efforts had been made to form a cooperative and legalize the operation, but progress has been slow and met with bureaucratic delays.
The Kasalika collapse is not an isolated event. At least three other mining-related deaths have been recorded in the area since 2019, signaling a growing crisis.
Experts and community leaders are now calling on the government to prioritize the formalization of small-scale mining, invest in safety training, and enforce existing regulations to protect both lives and livelihoods.
