By Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has effectively warned errant Chinese miners against illicit operational conduct.
Many locals in mining communities are crying foul over rampant abuses by local Chinese miners who often leave behind a trail of environmental destruction, health complications with very little Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pay backs.
He made the remarks while addressing the National Annual Chiefs Conference in Harare, attended by traditional leaders from across the country.
“Those who don’t want to follow our laws should go back to their countries. Investors are, once again, called upon to respect our laws, traditions and customs. You, our esteemed chiefs, are the custodians of the land, environment as well as natural resources.
“I, therefore, urge you to continue ensuring that investment projects, including mining activities, are done responsibly and sustainably. He directed key government bodies, including the Mines and Mining Development ministry and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), to ensure community consultation,” Mnangagwa said.
He urged the Ministry of Mines, councils, EMA, and the Forestry Commission, among other stakeholders, to ensure that local communities are consulted and participate during environmental impact assessments.
The President said his administration would “continue to insist that investments are undertaken in a responsible and sustainable manner”, ensuring communities, women, and youth benefit from the country’s resources.
Chinese-owned companies are dominant players in the Zimbabwean mining industry, controlling an estimated 90% of the sector. This significant presence, a result of Zimbabwe’s “Look East” foreign policy shift when Western sanctions were imposed in the early 2000s, has led to substantial investments, particularly in lithium, gold, and other minerals.
The firms are heavily involved in the extraction of critical minerals such as lithium, gold, chrome, coal, and platinum group metals. Lithium, in particular, has seen massive investments, with companies like Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt and Sinomine Resource Group acquiring major projects to feed the global electric vehicle battery market.
