Kasukuwere branded 'dangerous loose cannon'

Women'S mining syndicates in Mashonaland Central have taken Zanu-PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere to the High Court over attempts to grab their mines, describing him as a "loose cannon" out to destroy the ruling party.

Zanu-PF Central Committee member Martin Mavhangira filed a supporting affidavit in the case, and had no kind words for Kasukuwere and his brother, Dickson Mafios, whom she said in the court papers were corrupt.

Mafios is the revolutionary party's interim provincial chairperson for Mashonaland Central.

In an application for an interdict filed in the High Court under case number 1673/17, the Women in Mining Trust, Rass Mining Syndicate, Chehumambe Mining Syndicate and Community Mining Syndicate - all owned by women and members of the Zanu-PF's Women's League - are listed as applicants.

They cited Kasukuwere, Mafios, Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa, a Chief Superintendent Chikuma, a Superintendent Chiparaushe and Commissioner-General of Police Dr Augustine Chihuri as respondents.

Mavhangira said in his court papers that Kasukuwere was in the habit of pulling rank to have things his way and Zanu-PF Central Committee members in Mashonaland Central were not happy with his conduct.

"As members of the Central Committee, we feel that first respondent (Kasukuwere) has become some kind of a loose cannon whose unbridled corruption is destroying the party left, right and centre," said Mavhangira.

"For purposes of litigation, however, it is my testimony that applicants are indeed in grave danger of losing their mines illegally, unless respondents are interdicted from their unlawful acts."

The court application comes after the mining syndicates petitioned President Mugabe two weeks ago on the disruption of mining activities at the four mining sites in Bindura by Kasukuwere and Mafios.

In their petition, the women implored President Mugabe to intervene to stop "greedy and egocentric" powerful political figures in the province from unlawfully taking over their mines.

The petition, with 184 signatures, singled out Mafios as the chief culprit.

"Itai Dickson Mafios is threatening to illegally take over our mines, with the full backing of his brother Saviour Kasukuwere," reads part of the petition.

"Kasukuwere addressed a PCC (Zanu-PF Provincial Coordinating Committee) meeting at Mayfair Lodge in Bindura last month (January 2017), where he boldly declared in uncertain terms that he is going to instruct Minister of Mines Walter Chidhakwa to cancel our certificates with immediate effect.

"He even boasted that no one goes against his orders with the powers vested in him as the political commissar. We are afraid that Kasukuwere will use the same modus operandi that he used to illegally take over Remigio Matangira's Mukaradzi Mine in Mt Darwin before."

The petitioners also claimed that Mafios and his friends were planning to sell their mines to a Chinese businessman, a Mr Shin of Ming Chiang Sino Africa (Pvt) Ltd, for a whopping $5 million.

"The fact that the police are refusing us entry onto our mine site under instructions from Mafios, while Ming Chiang is being granted preferential treatment to carry out mining activities at our mine to the benefit of Mafios and his 'kitchen cabinet' who are constantly receiving cash, fuel and other goodies from Mr Shin in return for the looting of the precious metal from our mine," said the petitioners.

According to the papers filed at the High Court, the women are seeking an order stopping Kasukuwere and his co-respondents from interfering with their mining activities.

They also want any threats that Minister Chidhakwa could cancel their licences on the say so of Kasukuwere be interdicted by a court order.

Ms Shantel Mbereko, one of the founding members of the Women in Mining Trust, was authorised to depose an affidavit on behalf of the four syndicates.

In her affidavit, she speaks of political victimisation of women in mining by Kasukuwere and Mafios, the end game being to frustrate their lawful operations at the mines.

She contends in her papers that the political leadership in the province was, via proxies, corruptly exploiting mining resources for personal gain.

"While the first (Kasukuwere) and second (Mafios) respondents' proxies may change from time to time, the fact and endgame has remained resolute and consistent," said Ms Mbereko.

"Probably buoyed by previous successes, first and second respondents have become brazen, leading to the events of the 22 January 2017."

The women claim that on January 22, Kasukuwere convened the PCC meeting in Bindura, where he declared that he would instruct Minister Chidhakwa to cancel their mining licences with immediate effect.

She said Kasukuwere undertook to have the gold mining claims re-issued to Zanu-PF, under the aegis of Mashonaland Central Development Trust.

"The trust is nothing other than a veneer through which to loot our resource, for first and second respondents' benefit," said Ms Mbereko.

She said Mafios made similar remarks and steered through the process and resolution, safe in the knowledge that Minister Chidhakwa would "kowtow" to Kasukuwere's directive.

In addition, said Ms Mbereko, Mafios rail-roaded the resolution by underscoring the fact that he would direct the police to frustrate them to pave way for the "grand looting."

Ms Mbereko said Kasukuwere and Mafios should be kept from abusing political or public office against the defenceless.