Villagers risk their lives collecting coal from pothole spills

Desperate villagers scrape by picking up spilled coal on a wrecked Zimbabwe highway.

Roadside coal scavenging turns survival hustle

• Villagers near Gwayi and Chimwale along Bulawayo–Victoria Falls highway collect fallen coal daily.
• Women dominate the work hauling sacks while dodging speeding coal trucks from Hwange.

Potholes create constant spills

• Massive craters on the route make loads shift and dump coal chunks everywhere.
• People target known bad spots to grab bigger hauls before competitors show up.

Grueling routine drains bodies

• Filling a 50kg sack takes four to six hours of nonstop bending and lifting.
• Older women especially feel the brutal physical strain from hours bent over.

Minimal earnings keep families afloat

• Manyoni says full-day effort buys at least mealie-meal for her household.
• Zenzo Nyathi admits half sacks still help despite total exhaustion.

Organized yet risky operation

• Groups wake early claiming prime spill zones turning it into daily routine.
• Anonymous pickers fear arrest while staying close to thundering traffic.

Truckers see losses and hazards

• Driver Mhofu complains bad roads cost them coal and hurt business.
• He stresses huge danger from people walking inches from moving trucks.