A prominent Gweru businessman and gold miner, Philemon Mubata has died.

He was 53.

Mubata succumbed to COVID-19 on Monday morning while admitted at a private hospital in Gweru.

He was was director for Big Valley Masters Group of companies which had about 100 employees and over 300 contractors at its mining concern in Shurugwi.

Mubata’s brother, Costa, confirmed the death and revealed that the now deceased complained of dizziness on Sunday and was taken to the hospital where he tested positive for coronavirus. He said:

The death was rather sudden and we are still in shock, he only complained of dizziness yesterday (Sunday) at around 4 pm and we decided to take him to the hospital at around 5 pm.

He was admitted after testing positive to Covid-19 and today (yesterday) and around 4 am we received the sad news that he was no more, we are in pain.

Big Valley Masters mining’s acting general manager, Lovemore Mutema said Mubata was at the mine a day before his demise and looked fine. Said Mutema:

We were together at the mine a day before and he looked fine. Everyone is still in a state of shock that he has suddenly passed away, he was a man of the people and he will be dearly missed by both, Shurugwi and Gweru community.

He is survived by wife Egness and four children two boys and two girls.