Business Reporter
The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has formally appealed to China’s envoy in Zimbabwe, urging action against widespread illegal mining activities linked to Chinese-owned companies.
In their open letter, CNRG highlights a surge in complaints from communities across the country about the destruction of water sources, forests, landscapes, and other sensitive environments due to mining operations involving Chinese nationals and their Zimbabwean associates.
A particular concern is the damage to areas of significant ecological and cultural value. In Shurugwi, mining has severely disrupted parts of the Boterekwa mountain range, while the Mavuradonha Wilderness—designated a National Monument in 2017—faces similar threats.
CNRG identifies Christmas Pass Mountain in Mutare as the latest hotspot, where mining persists despite forceful opposition from locals, ongoing legal challenges, and petitions to the President. The group is especially troubled by the proximity of mining activities to Hillcrest College, less than 400 meters away, raising urgent risks related to soil erosion, mudslides, water contamination, and slope destabilization—all posing potential environmental and health hazards for students, staff, and surrounding communities.
The CNRG notes these problems are not isolated. In Penhalonga and the Mutare River basin, residents report blasting, noise, dust, home damage, water siltation, wildlife displacement, and fears of cyanide or mercury pollution. Communities in Mberengwa, Shurugwi, and other areas of the Great Dyke also express alarm over open pits, river degradation, unsafe mine shafts, cracked homes from blasting, and inadequate site rehabilitation.
Additional reports from Boterekwa, Mutoko, Mazowe, Odzi, and Haroni-Rusitu highlight ongoing disputes over land and river degradation, harm to protected landscapes, and poor enforcement of environmental regulations.
According to CNRG, these incidents reflect a broader pattern requiring swift diplomatic, regulatory, and corporate intervention.
CNRG stresses that involvement by political or business elites does not legitimize unlawful or environmentally damaging mining activities. Legal compliance, environmental safeguards, and community rights must take precedence over private interests.
The organization further warns of rising tensions between local communities and certain Chinese nationals and companies involved in mining. CNRG calls on the Chinese envoy to urge all Chinese stakeholders in Zimbabwe to:
- Comply fully with local environmental, mining, land-use, and planning laws
- Conduct thorough environmental assessments before beginning or expanding mining operations
CNRG emphasizes that these steps are critical to preventing further conflict and protecting Zimbabwe’s natural resources.
