News / National
Outrage over imminent Lower Gwelo evictions
31 Dec 2024 at 13:47hrs | Views
Disgruntled villagers from Nsukunengi Village, located under Chief Bunina in the Midlands' Lower Gwelo area, are expressing growing fears of being evicted from their ancestral land to make way for a mining project by Auromex Investments Pvt Ltd. The company plans to process gold using the heap leaching method at St Faith, about 41km from Gweru, but the villagers claim they were not consulted about the plans, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty.
Auromex Investments has promised economic benefits from the mining project, but villagers are alarmed at the potential displacement from their homes and the disruption to their way of life. These fears were compounded by an investigation by Truth Diggers, an investigative unit of Alpha Media Holdings, which examined the implications of the company's operations and the tensions between economic development and human rights.
Truth Diggers uncovered allegations of betrayal and corruption within the community, especially from Chief Bunina, born Jabulani Chisadza. The traditional leader is accused of accepting bribes in the form of cattle and money to push for the mining project, despite pretending to be a neutral party representing the interests of the villagers. The investigation follows a report published by NewsDay in September 2023, which exposed corrupt practices by traditional leaders in the region who were selling land to gold panners, forcing small-scale farmers to compete for increasingly scarce pastures.
In a recent interview, Chief Chisadza defended his role, claiming he was merely acting as an intermediary between the mining company and the community, aiming to facilitate peaceful dialogue. "I had a meeting with the company, though I am not at liberty to share what we discussed. As a leader, I want to facilitate peaceful dialogue and take no side," Chisadza said, stressing that he was balancing the interests of both the villagers and Auromex.
However, his stance has not sat well with the community. Mthokozisi Ncube*, a villager who attended one of the meetings hosted by Chisadza, expressed frustration. Ncube claimed that the traditional leader had turned a blind eye to the concerns of the people he was supposed to protect. He urged Chisadza to take a stronger stance and advocate against the mining project.
"We need to speak with one voice," said a South Africa-based villager in a WhatsApp group formed by locals called Ward 7 Fixing What Was Broken. The group aims to mobilize villagers to resist the mining activities at St Faith. Some members, who are working abroad, have pooled resources to sponsor lunch allowances for those attending meetings in protest.
While the villagers mobilize against Auromex Investments, some members of the government are defending the mining project. Remigious Matangira, the chairperson of the Mines and Mining Development parliamentary portfolio committee, downplayed the concerns of the villagers, claiming the mining activities would bring economic benefits. "Even the Bible in Hosea 4:6 states, ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,'" Matangira said, suggesting that the villagers should accept the development as a positive step. He pointed out that the new mining bill ensures that a percentage of the revenue generated from mining would go directly to benefit the local community.
Despite this, the situation has reached a tense standstill. Truth Diggers has obtained a letter from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, dated December 19, 2024, instructing Auromex Investments to halt all mining activities at St Faith pending further investigation. The letter, which was issued after a dispute hearing on December 17, 2024, orders the company to suspend all operations immediately and cease the transportation of materials from the site.
The letter directed Auromex to comply with the suspension order, while both parties are encouraged to secure their equipment and resources on-site. Midlands Provincial Mines and Mining Development Director Contilda Chimasha, who received the letter, had not responded to questions by the time of publication.
In response to inquiries from Truth Diggers, Auromex Investments denied having started mining activities, but the representative contacted was uncooperative and refused to disclose their identity. Vungu Rural District Council Chief Executive Alex Magura also expressed ignorance of the developments. Meanwhile, local legislator Brown Ndlovu (Zanu-PF) stated that his attempts to engage with the company were unsuccessful, as the company chose to communicate exclusively with Chief Chisadza.
As the tension continues to escalate, villagers are left uncertain about their future, with many fearing they will lose their ancestral land to a mining project they never had a say in. The battle over St Faith is a stark reminder of the complex dynamics between economic development, land rights, and the role of traditional leaders in Zimbabwe's rural communities.
Auromex Investments has promised economic benefits from the mining project, but villagers are alarmed at the potential displacement from their homes and the disruption to their way of life. These fears were compounded by an investigation by Truth Diggers, an investigative unit of Alpha Media Holdings, which examined the implications of the company's operations and the tensions between economic development and human rights.
Truth Diggers uncovered allegations of betrayal and corruption within the community, especially from Chief Bunina, born Jabulani Chisadza. The traditional leader is accused of accepting bribes in the form of cattle and money to push for the mining project, despite pretending to be a neutral party representing the interests of the villagers. The investigation follows a report published by NewsDay in September 2023, which exposed corrupt practices by traditional leaders in the region who were selling land to gold panners, forcing small-scale farmers to compete for increasingly scarce pastures.
In a recent interview, Chief Chisadza defended his role, claiming he was merely acting as an intermediary between the mining company and the community, aiming to facilitate peaceful dialogue. "I had a meeting with the company, though I am not at liberty to share what we discussed. As a leader, I want to facilitate peaceful dialogue and take no side," Chisadza said, stressing that he was balancing the interests of both the villagers and Auromex.
However, his stance has not sat well with the community. Mthokozisi Ncube*, a villager who attended one of the meetings hosted by Chisadza, expressed frustration. Ncube claimed that the traditional leader had turned a blind eye to the concerns of the people he was supposed to protect. He urged Chisadza to take a stronger stance and advocate against the mining project.
"We need to speak with one voice," said a South Africa-based villager in a WhatsApp group formed by locals called Ward 7 Fixing What Was Broken. The group aims to mobilize villagers to resist the mining activities at St Faith. Some members, who are working abroad, have pooled resources to sponsor lunch allowances for those attending meetings in protest.
While the villagers mobilize against Auromex Investments, some members of the government are defending the mining project. Remigious Matangira, the chairperson of the Mines and Mining Development parliamentary portfolio committee, downplayed the concerns of the villagers, claiming the mining activities would bring economic benefits. "Even the Bible in Hosea 4:6 states, ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,'" Matangira said, suggesting that the villagers should accept the development as a positive step. He pointed out that the new mining bill ensures that a percentage of the revenue generated from mining would go directly to benefit the local community.
Despite this, the situation has reached a tense standstill. Truth Diggers has obtained a letter from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, dated December 19, 2024, instructing Auromex Investments to halt all mining activities at St Faith pending further investigation. The letter, which was issued after a dispute hearing on December 17, 2024, orders the company to suspend all operations immediately and cease the transportation of materials from the site.
The letter directed Auromex to comply with the suspension order, while both parties are encouraged to secure their equipment and resources on-site. Midlands Provincial Mines and Mining Development Director Contilda Chimasha, who received the letter, had not responded to questions by the time of publication.
In response to inquiries from Truth Diggers, Auromex Investments denied having started mining activities, but the representative contacted was uncooperative and refused to disclose their identity. Vungu Rural District Council Chief Executive Alex Magura also expressed ignorance of the developments. Meanwhile, local legislator Brown Ndlovu (Zanu-PF) stated that his attempts to engage with the company were unsuccessful, as the company chose to communicate exclusively with Chief Chisadza.
As the tension continues to escalate, villagers are left uncertain about their future, with many fearing they will lose their ancestral land to a mining project they never had a say in. The battle over St Faith is a stark reminder of the complex dynamics between economic development, land rights, and the role of traditional leaders in Zimbabwe's rural communities.
Source - newsday
