Matabeleland youths decry abuse at mines

Youths from Matabeleland have accused foreign-owned mining companies of rampant labour rights violations and social abuses, including wage theft, unsafe working conditions and child exploitation.

The grievances were aired during a youth symposium held in Bulawayo on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe Alternative Mining Indaba, co-hosted by the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organisation (Zelo), the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) and Action Aid. The event ran under the theme: "Empowering Youth for a Just and Sustainable Mining Future: Driving Inclusive Growth in the Just Energy Transition."

Participants said many mining companies were operating with impunity, taking advantage of poverty and weak enforcement of regulations.

Youths from Hwange and Zvishavane reported that workers are often subjected to exploitative conditions, including renewable month-to-month contracts, low wages, and lack of protective clothing.

"Most workers are hired as ‘general hands' even when they do specialised work like electrical fitting or mechanics," said Nkosi Sibanda from Hwange. "You end up doing skilled work but being paid a general hand's salary."

Another youth from Zvishavane described unsafe conditions underground. "If you're injured, you only get two days off before being forced back. Safety rules exist on paper, but not in reality. We are losing lives."

Several participants highlighted the social impact of foreign mining activities, including rising cases of sexual exploitation, teenage pregnancies and abandoned children fathered by expatriate workers.

"Some parents allow their daughters into relationships with Chinese miners because of poverty, but the children are often abandoned," one youth said.

Environmental degradation was also cited as a growing concern. A Bulawayo participant pointed to a quarry mine in Pumula South that had triggered human–wildlife conflict. "Explosives drive baboons into homes near schools and residential areas," she said.

Another youth from Masvingo criticised government's failure to act. "In 2024, the UN Business and Human Rights survey raised these same concerns. Government dismissed them as exaggerated, yet here we are in 2025 facing the exact same abuses," he said.

Despite the challenges, participants called for urgent reforms in the mining sector. Mining engineer Paul Matshona from the Zimbabwe School of Mines encouraged youths to embrace innovation and technology to reshape the industry.

"With geo-spatial technology, we can remotely assess environmental impacts and track biodiversity changes," he said. "Artificial intelligence can help translate mining policies into local languages, while robotics and automation are already redefining global mining."

Ruth Sibanda, a representative from the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, urged young people to learn about mining laws and funding opportunities. "If you don't know the policies, you may think mining is only for foreigners, yet there are funds to help youths formalise operations," she said.

Zelo programmes manager, Joshua Machinga, said his organisation was working to close the accountability gap.

"We have trained over 60 paralegals and environmental defenders to document violations and engage authorities," he said. "We have also supported artisanal miners with protective equipment and pushed for reforms like the Mines and Minerals Bill, which includes stronger environmental protections."

Machinga stressed that youth voices must be central to shaping solutions for the mining sector.