Judge raises alarm over makorokoza violence

A High Court judge has raised alarm over escalating killings and violent crimes linked to illegal mining, warning that lawlessness in gold-rich areas now poses a national security threat.

Presiding over the Bulawayo High Court circuit in Gweru, Justice Munamato Mutevedzi said the brutality associated with machete gangs and rogue artisanal miners has reached crisis levels, tearing communities apart and overwhelming law enforcement agencies.

"What we are witnessing in mining areas is a complete breakdown of order. They kill, maim and terrorise with impunity. This is no longer merely a policing issue — it is gradually evolving into a national security crisis," Justice Mutevedzi said.

The judge revealed that nearly half of the murder cases before the circuit court were linked to illegal mining disputes and gang violence, with hotspots including Shurugwi, Kwekwe, Mberengwa, Mvuma, and Zvishavane.

"The violence perpetrated by these machete-wielding gangs has escalated beyond mere turf wars. Entire communities are living in fear, while legitimate mining operations are being severely disrupted," he said, calling for the establishment of a joint security taskforce. Justice Mutevedzi emphasised that the judiciary alone cannot restore order without coordinated efforts from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), and other enforcement agencies.

"A multi-agency approach is the only viable solution to dismantle these criminal syndicates operating under the guise of artisanal mining," he added.

In one of the latest cases, Musani David Moyo, 28, of Chief Sogwala area in Lower Gweru, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison after fatally stabbing Lawrence Sibanda, 57, during a violent confrontation on August 12. Prosecutor Talent Tadenyika told the court that Sibanda had attempted to defuse the situation, urging Moyo to respect his elders, but Moyo attacked him with an Okapi knife, killing him instantly. A post-mortem at United Bulawayo Hospital confirmed death from haemorrhagic shock and a perforated lung.

The surge in artisanal mining-related violence has become one of the country's most pressing law and order challenges. The unregulated gold rush in the Midlands Province has given rise to machete-wielding gangs, known locally as MaShurugwi, involved in extortion, robbery, and deadly turf wars.

Police have responded with operations such as Operation Chikorokoza Ngachipere/Isitsheketsha Kasiphele, restoring order by confronting machete gangs, arresting offenders, and curbing violence that threatened gold mining and deliveries to Fidelity Printers and Refiners. Last year, the operation led to the arrest of 57,000 illegal miners, gang members, and other criminal elements nationwide.

The judiciary's warning underscores the urgent need for sustained multi-agency interventions to secure mining communities and protect Zimbabwe's gold sector.