Grace Mugabe orders son off 'dirty' mine wrangle

First Lady Grace Mugabe has reportedly intervened in the ongoing ownership wrangle at Tolrose Gold Mine in Kadoma, directing her son, Russel Goreraza, to withdraw from the dispute amid escalating tensions and mounting public scrutiny.

Goreraza, Grace's son from her first marriage before she married the late former President Robert Mugabe, has been embroiled in a bitter fight for control of the mine with businessman Jameson Rushwaya.

According to sources quoted by NewsDay, the First Lady recently dispatched an emissary to engage Rushwaya after learning of the deepening feud and the negative publicity surrounding it.

"About two months ago, the First Family sent an emissary to Rushwaya to find out what was going on. They realised that Goreraza had been drawn into the fight by businessman Patterson Timba after the latter realised he was losing the battle for control of the mine to Rushwaya," a source said.

"Given the bad publicity the wrangle has attracted, the First Lady has called her son off the feud. She is not as bad as people portray her and, on realising that her son was being used for a dirty deed, she pulled the plug," the source added.

However, reports suggest that Goreraza has enlisted the support of members of the Affirmative Action Group (AAG), including Mashonaland East regional president Munya Kashambe and Mashonaland West president Mike Chimombe, amid claims that the mine holds a valuable "stockpile of gold ore."

While Kashambe could not be reached for comment, Chimombe confirmed that he had previously assisted in mediating between the two parties.

"We were involved and helped broker a deal between Goreraza and Rushwaya. Rushwaya, unfortunately, is now changing goalposts and we have adopted a wait-and-see attitude. I last had any involvement in that issue around March this year," Chimombe said.

"We actually helped Rushwaya return to the mine after he had abandoned it for three years," he added.

Rushwaya, in a separate interview, confirmed Goreraza's involvement but sought to downplay the dispute, saying he had no personal issues with the Mugabe family.

"I heard police went to the mine and spoke to my manager as I was not there. I am yet to get full details of what they really wanted. I have no problem with Goreraza or the First Family. But I have a problem with his allies who are abusing their links to those in power and claiming to be representing the First Family," Rushwaya said.

Tolrose Mine has reportedly struggled to operate effectively since Goreraza's takeover, following his claim that he had acquired shares from Timba. The protracted ownership dispute has nearly crippled the mine's operations and drawn in powerful political and business figures, raising questions about the intersection of influence, wealth, and control in Zimbabwe's lucrative gold mining sector.