AN eight-year-old Binga boy was Sunday crushed to death while his little sister survived the mishap albeit with serious injuries after the two miners were both trapped by an ox-drawn scotch cart while coming from a family harvest in the fields.
The minor siblings were in the cart with their 18-year-old brother while returning from harvesting maize and millet.
When the accident happened, the brother Asizi Siamuncoli had left the oxen unattended going into the bush to relieve himself.
The oxen started moving into the bush resulting in the cart hitting a stump and overturning.
The mishap saw the cart trapping the minors, killing Boonse Siamuncoli while seven-year-old Ladies Siamuncoli was severely injured.
Tshuma Siamumncoli, the 55-year-old father to the three, said he was saddened by the tragedy.
“I am still in shock. In fact, the whole family is devastated.
“Everyone was happy when we went to harvest and now it was time to go home with our produce, not knowing tragedy was waiting,” he said.
The father explained the tragic incident, “After they (children) had travelled for some distance from the field, Asizi left the oxen on the road as he went to relieve himself.
“The kids were in the cart. The oxen started moving following him into the bush and in the process, the cart hit a stump and overturned.
“No-one knows how fast the oxen were moving but we suspect something triggered them to move fast; probably they were running away from something.
“The cart overturned and trapped the two. The oxen stopped as the cart was also trapped by the stump.
“Asizi came running after hearing the noise but it was too late as both children were trapped.”
He said he ran to the scene after being alerted of the mishap by Asizi and they rushed the two children to Tinde Clinic.
Boonse died along the way due to the injuries while Ladies was treated and discharged.
Hwange magistrate Rangarirai Gakanje waived post-mortem as no foul play was suspected.
