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BY Clayton Masekesa
PENHALONGA – Angry workers at Redwing Mine and members of the community have called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to come out clean and solve the mess that has seen gold worth millions of dollars siphoned through well-orchestrated syndicates.
Better Brands Mining Company owned by Pedzisai “Scott” Sakupwanya, a flamboyant and flashy personality, is heavily embroiled in a gigantic gold looting scandal at Redwing Mine in Penhalonga after it was allegedly accused of looting the precious mineral.
Better Brands Mining Company is operating at Redwing Mine under a Tributary Agreement controversially facilitated by the interim corporate rescue practitioner (ICRP) Knowledge Hofisi.
Sakupwanya, who is said to be closely linked to President Mnangwagwa, is allegedly mining gold at Redwing Mine under indistinct circumstances and is reportedly blocking the return of a much preferred Metallon Gold mining company.
BBC is on record to have unaccountable mining practices and propelling violence in the community.
Investigations have revealed that Sakupwanya’s operations are in violation of Statutory Instrument (SI) 258 of 2018 Environmental Management (Control of Alluvial Mining) (Amendment) Regulations, which outlaws setting up washing plants, ore stockpiles, slime dams, or mining ponds within 500 meters from river beds.
In an emotionally charged meeting for the Portfolio Committee on Defense, Home Affairs, and Security Services, held at Penhalonga Club last Friday, the disgruntled and fuming workers demanded a direct audience with Mnangagwa.
Said a worker: “You are here (Portfolio Committee) for the wrong reasons. What do you want to address us on? We are tired of talking without having solutions.”
He added: “We no longer need talks. Bring the President here and we want to talk to him directly. There is organized looting and the perpetrators are being protected. Some personnel from Better Brands are bragging that they are sent by Zanu PF and are being protected by President Mnangagwa.”
He said: These people from Better Brands are only enriching themselves through this corporate rescue initiative. Redwing Mine is being looted in our yes and we are the people who are being exploited by Better Brands. We are being used and treated as slaves. Gold ore is disappearing during the daylight. Where is that gold ore going? We have loads of gold ore being extracted from here every day and where is it going? Why are there no arrests being made?
Another expressively charged worker Nelson Makoni said: “This thing called Better Brands is full of thieves. It is accompany full of greedy individuals. There is no proper mining at this mine. Chingori chigweja chete chete. How can a company and country be run like that? Nyika ingabudirira sei nechigweja? Gold mining here is illegal and our leaders are just looking and taking no action. The government has legalized the illegal mining being done here. It is all about looting.”
Makoni who has worked for Redwing Mine for 34 years added: “There is no Fidelity Company here to monitor the processing of the gold ore. We are now tired and our appeal is for President Mnangagwa to come clear on what is happening at Redwing Mine. Why is there no any action being taken against this leakage of gold.”
James Mupfumi the Centre For Research and Development (CRD) said there was no security at the company and the whole community.
“We have an influx of illegal miners in the area who are not accounted to anyone. There is massive leakage of gold here. There are over 400 hammer mills processing gold ore from Redwing Mine. All these do not have proper paperwork. Are we saying the State is not aware of this? Let us be honest with each other. Why is the State allowing all this to happen? Why is it that the government is failing to have a suitable and proper mining project at Redwing Mine? We want a proper mining model at Redwing Mine that can sustain lives.”
Mupfumi said gold mining at Redwing Mine was a worst case of mineral smuggling.
“Operations of gold barons at Redwing Mine have proved beyond doubt that they are a worst case of tax evasion, mineral smuggling and human rights abuse,” said Mupfumi.
“What is obtaining at Redwing Mine is the subversion of institutions meant to safeguard the rights of workers and community by political driven cartels of mineral looters,” Mupfumi added.
Zivai Community Empowerment Trust (ZICET) Programs Manager Lloyd Sesemani said security at Redwing Mine was very porous.
“There is no security to talk about. Everything done here is illegal. But, the illegal mining done here is now being legalized. The police are incapacitated to provide efficient service to stop the movement of gold ore and to restore sanity. There is no accountability to talk about and no transparency in the manner the gold is being mined.”
Sesemani added:” Parliament must summon Better Brands. Fidelity Company must investigate and give reports on what is happening to the gold ore being siphoned. Penhalonga is now overcrowded with people and the police have only one car which is not sufficient. The car is not reliable and prone to breakdowns. On many occasions well wishers service that car and buy fuel in order to have police operations.”
ZICET Team Leader Mildred Muzanechita said the mining companies operating at Redwing Mine must be summoned to parliament.
“The mining companies operating at Redwng Mine must be summoned to Parliament for more questions and answers. EMA (Environmental Management Agency) must cancel mining certificates and stop operations for Better Brands,” said Muzanechita.
“There is a need to tighten border patrols and have mineral detectors at our borders. Those found with gold must be arrested. Fidelity Company must receive more funds from RBZ (Reserve Bank Of Zimbabwe) to buy gold in time and have one stop shop center at Redwing to avoid more leakages,” Muzanechita explained.
Weston Makoni who is the Penhalonga Residents and Ratepayers Trust chairman questioned why there were no control measures on the leakages of gold.
“It is not a secret that gold is being looted here during daylight. We know the perpetrators, but unfortunately nothing is being done to them. The gold is lining some individual pockets. Why are the perpetrators not being arrested? Why is it that there are continuous leakages of gold through our borders?”
Weston Makoni said there were 13 entry points within the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border, where gold is taken out of Penhalonga.
“What is the duty of the police border control? We want to go to Parliament to talk about this issue because discussing these issues here it’s a waste of time, as our voices are not being heard,” he said.
Concerted efforts to get a comment from Sakupwanya were fruitless.
Chairman of the Portfolio Committee, Rtd Brigadier General Levi Mayihlome said: “As a committee, we want to ensure that there is peace and tranquility in the country. The issues you have raised can cause instability and disgruntlement. We are happy that you have been frank and candid in addressing your issues.”
Mayihlome added: “We have taken upon ourselves to list and note down the concerns of gold leakages taking place here. That is why as a committee we have decided to have a look at how minerals are being leaked out of the country. We have noted that this can cause some great problems in our country that is why we were here.”
He said: “We are going to capture all that you have said as it is and come up with a report, which we are going to present to Parliament. If mining is threatened, the peace and tranquility in the country are also threatened.”
The meeting in Penhalonga coincided with the launch of a new report by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) titled Zimbabwe’s Disappearing Gold: The Case of Mazowe and Penhalonga, which claims that Zimbabwe is losing at least three tonnes of gold valued at US$157 million monthly through illicit financial flows.
CNRG said Zimbabwe is losing that amount through siphoning by influential Zanu PF politicians, government officials, and their close business associates.