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Zanu-PF grabs gold-rich mine
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ZANU-PF officials, led by Dambudzo Mnangagwa who claims to represent the First Family, are reportedly involved in a targeted attempt to illegally seize control of gold-rich Vubachikwe Mine in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province.
The mine, owned by Australian entity Duration Gold Limited, has been subjected to multiple attacks by a group allegedly linked to Mnangagwa and local ZANU-PF shadow Member of Parliament (MP), Limukani Ncube, popularly known as Two Minutes.
Mnangagwa, along with individuals associated with Ncube, reportedly besieged the mine this week, using heavy earth-moving equipment to extract gold ores within Vubachikwe's claims. Driving ZANU-PF party-branded vehicles, Mnangagwa allegedly threatened police officers who attempted to intervene, forcing them to stand down and watch helplessly.
Ncube has reportedly claimed that the takeover of Vubachikwe Mine is part of a broader ZANU-PF empowerment drive, threatening to hand the mine over to ZANU-PF youths for alleged empowerment purposes.
The chaos surrounding Vubachikwe Mine escalated in November last year when Ncube sent government officials, including the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Ministry of Mines, on a two-week-long wild goose chase. This followed false information shared by Ncube that a section of the mine had collapsed, killing over 30 miners. However, subsequent searches by the Provincial Mining Directorate and police found no evidence of a collapse or any missing miners.
"We have yet to hear of anyone missing. We conducted a search and rescue operation with the police and the mine's sub-aqua unit but failed to find anyone after the report. It was a wild goose chase," said Provincial Mining Director Tariro Ndlovu.
"These kinds of false alarms are criminal, as they do not just waste public resources but affect business operations significantly," added Ndlovu.
During the search, police arrested 29 illegal gold panners who were operating about 400 metres below the surface, with RRB number CR15/12/24 (DR28/12/24) being used for the case.
Councillor Simbarashe Lisimati confirmed that neither a collapse nor victims had been found. "Neither an indication of a collapse nor victims was found after the claim," he said.
Vubachikwe Mine has since threatened legal action against Ncube for his false claims and attempts to defame the mine's operations.
"This was an elaborate hoax, and this was being pushed by people who are supposed to be respectable within our community. What saddened us was why eminent members of the community would spread such fake news," said Vubachikwe Mine spokesperson Robert Mugabe.
The ongoing attempts to seize control of the mine have sparked widespread concern, with calls for increased scrutiny and accountability for those involved in such activities.
The mine, owned by Australian entity Duration Gold Limited, has been subjected to multiple attacks by a group allegedly linked to Mnangagwa and local ZANU-PF shadow Member of Parliament (MP), Limukani Ncube, popularly known as Two Minutes.
Mnangagwa, along with individuals associated with Ncube, reportedly besieged the mine this week, using heavy earth-moving equipment to extract gold ores within Vubachikwe's claims. Driving ZANU-PF party-branded vehicles, Mnangagwa allegedly threatened police officers who attempted to intervene, forcing them to stand down and watch helplessly.
Ncube has reportedly claimed that the takeover of Vubachikwe Mine is part of a broader ZANU-PF empowerment drive, threatening to hand the mine over to ZANU-PF youths for alleged empowerment purposes.
The chaos surrounding Vubachikwe Mine escalated in November last year when Ncube sent government officials, including the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Ministry of Mines, on a two-week-long wild goose chase. This followed false information shared by Ncube that a section of the mine had collapsed, killing over 30 miners. However, subsequent searches by the Provincial Mining Directorate and police found no evidence of a collapse or any missing miners.
"We have yet to hear of anyone missing. We conducted a search and rescue operation with the police and the mine's sub-aqua unit but failed to find anyone after the report. It was a wild goose chase," said Provincial Mining Director Tariro Ndlovu.
"These kinds of false alarms are criminal, as they do not just waste public resources but affect business operations significantly," added Ndlovu.
During the search, police arrested 29 illegal gold panners who were operating about 400 metres below the surface, with RRB number CR15/12/24 (DR28/12/24) being used for the case.
Councillor Simbarashe Lisimati confirmed that neither a collapse nor victims had been found. "Neither an indication of a collapse nor victims was found after the claim," he said.
Vubachikwe Mine has since threatened legal action against Ncube for his false claims and attempts to defame the mine's operations.
"This was an elaborate hoax, and this was being pushed by people who are supposed to be respectable within our community. What saddened us was why eminent members of the community would spread such fake news," said Vubachikwe Mine spokesperson Robert Mugabe.
The ongoing attempts to seize control of the mine have sparked widespread concern, with calls for increased scrutiny and accountability for those involved in such activities.
Source - newzimbabwe
