A NEW battlefront has been opened in the fight for the control of Zimbabwe’s abundant resources, with the latest being the court fight between South African billionaire Nicky Oppenheimer who is now embroiled in a tussle to control a 65 000-hectare farm in Matabeleland South province.
MOSES MATENGA
Zimbabwe was already embroiled in vicious fights over control of resources across the country, including in Chilonga in Chiredzi, Mutoko, Hwange, Chiadzwa and several other areas that have seen cases spilling into the courts while others have taken a political turn.
Involved in the several clashes over resources are local villagers pitted against mainly foreign companies enjoying the protection of the government.
The Oppenheimer family controls a multi-billion-dollar venture and occupied a controlling spot in the world’s diamond trade before venturing into aviation. They also own at least 720 square miles of conservation land across South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
The fresh fight between Shangani Holistic (Private) Limited, owned by one of South Africa’s richest men and Pearline Mineral Exploration (Private) Limited started after workers at the farm in early June noticed a plane flying low above the ranch in Shangani, Insiza district, raising eyebrows over the intention.
It emerged that the workers captured the details on the plane and it was traced to the South African mining company which, in turn, contracted a local company, Duration Gold (Private) Limited, to do the exploration and prospecting.
This activated a series of events that led to a court application seeking to block Pearline Mineral Exploration (Private) Limited from proceeding with exploration, cease all mineral prospecting or mineral mining activities on the ranch.
Judge Siyabona Musithu ruled that exploration could only go ahead if there was an environmental impact assessment certificate issued by the country’s Environmental Management Agency (Ema), giving temporary reprieve to the business tycoon.
The ranch that the rich family claims has been in existence since 1937 and is involved in cattle ranching boasting over 8 000 cattle they intend to increase to 19 000 in 10 years. There is also room for safari hunting on the farm, which is a wildlife sanctuary for male elephants.
The ranch owners warned of serious consequences that include the closure of the local school, effects on their beef exports and job losses.
The ruling reads in part: “Pending determination of this matter, the Applicant is granted that the Respondent is interdicted and prohibited, personally and through its agents, from conducting any mineral prospecting or mineral mining activities whatsoever on Shangani Ranch situated in Ward 23 of Insiza District, Shangani, without an environmental impact assessment issued by the Environmental Management Agency in accordance with the Environmental Management Act.”
Shangani Ranch is said to be rich in minerals including gold, silver, copper, antimony, lead, cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, chrome, graphite, and lithium.
The fight for the control of resources has gripped Zimbabwe for years and this latest one adds to the growing list of court cases. In Chiredzi, dozens of Chilonga villagers are suing over the “illegal” takeover of their ancestral land and approached the Constitutional Court seeking an order to set aside section 4 and Section 6(1)(b) of the Communal Lands Act [Chapter 20:04], which they say is a perpetuation of colonialism practices and a threat to their dignity.
A traditional leader in Masvingo, Chief Murinye, recently blasted President Emmerson Mnangagwa and top Zanu PF officials for allowing corruption, including the forceful takeover of resources.
Murinye said criminals and looters who are enjoying the fruits of proximity to power are plundering the country’s resources.
Last year, a traditional leader in Insiza, Ma tabeleland South province, wrote to President Mnangagwa demanding an immediate end to lithium and tantalum explorations in Fort Rixon.
The traditional leader argued in the letter that the explorers were given the green light to carry out geological explorations by the government without locals being consulted, and work should only commence after the local community has agreed to the project.
Mutoko villagers are also in a fight over exploitation of their resources, mainly granite, that is being mined by foreign firms at their expense and with the destruction of the environment.
Similar fights are also obtaining in Chiadzwa, where locals are complaining against mainly Chinese firms, whose diamond mining is not benefitting the community.
