SHAMVA-BASED gold mining company Korzim Strategic Minerals (Pvt) Ltd has written to Vice-President Kembo Mohadi and Australian ambassador to Zimbabwe Minoli Perera, complaining about the conduct of an Australian citizen and an entity who, alongside other companies, are reportedly interfering with its operations.
Korzim and Australian company Auriga Mineral Exploration (Pvt) Ltd are fighting over the same gold claims in Shamva.
The development comes at a time the dispute is playing out in court under High Court number 639 of 2023, presided over by judge Amy Tsanga.
The applicant in the matter is Auriga, a holder of exclusive prospecting order number 1806 (EPO 1806) which was issued in 2021.
Auriga is arguing that Korzim is encroaching onto its claim and illegally mining in the area, while also damaging the environment.
Auriga says Korzim also constructed a tunnel underneath the Shamva-Nyagande Road.
The company said it detected mining activities in its prospecting area in November 2023 through satellite images and went on an investigative mission to the site.
In defence, Korzim argued that Auriga had no locus standi to approach the courts, adding that the EPO 1806 did not permit it to encroach onto their space.
Auriga wants a relief that compels Korzim to cease any form of mining operations on an area with defined coordinates, 358267, 8090586, Coordinate system: Arc 1950 zone 36s at Kingstone Nyamakura Farm of Lot 1 of New Brixton Farm, Shamva, in Mashonaland Central province.
Auriga also wants the court to compel Korzim to f ill in any holes or shafts sunk on the area. Korzim Strategic Minerals (Pvt) Ltd, are a duly registered company in terms of Zimbabwean law, with registration number 32893/2007.
In 2009, the company obtained mining rights to mine at new Brixton mining claim 100, 101, 102 and 103 in Shamva and the mining licences are also extant.
The Zimbabwean company wants the Australian ambassador to intervene in their dispute with Auriga and a natural person Gary Seabrooke both being of Australian origin.
Korzim says Seabrooke is conniving with Auriga to illegally mine at their claims.
The company accuses the Australians of triggering a series of court applications
“in a bid to corruptly prevent us from accessing our mine on the one hand and for them to continue stealing our gold ore on the other,”
reads part of the company’s letter to Perera by Korzim Strategic Minerals managing director Jairus Matsika.
“…These legal persons have been bragging through their employees Samuel Rusike and one Scott that we will never win any cases in Zimbabwean courts. Even if we did win, we as Korzim will not be able to enforce any court order. They claim to have paid Ministers (names withheld) USD 1 million each. They used the Minister of Mines officials, ZRP Officers and personnel from intelligence to elbow us out of our mining claims.”
Matsika asked the ambassador if she condoned such acts by Australians living in Zimbabwe.
“Our shareholders have instructed us to enquire as to whether the Australian government that they regarded in the highest esteem is part of this plunder of resources in a third world country.
“As we write, the illegal mining is still going on unabated. The processed gold that has been stolen is estimated to be well over USD 5 500 000.00 and could be much more. We continue to suffer patrimonial loss as a result of the unlawful, illegal and wrongful conduct by Gary Seabrooke, Auriga and Canterbury,” reads the another section of the letter.
“We are left with no choice but to seek the assistance of the Australian authorities.”
As part of efforts to exhaust all internal remedies on the matter, the company made a report to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission under RRB 005919 dated 16 August 2024.
Matsika in his letter also told the ambassador that the Australian personae are violating Australian law on corruption as they are extracting, mining, and selling illegally obtained gold ore and gold bullion.
“The gold is being stolen on a daily basis. The money, if remitted to Australia constitutes proceeds of crime. The company and individual are engaged in foreign bribery and grand corruption. As such there is blatant violation of section 70.2 of the Australian Criminal Code Act, 1995. Any monies remitted to Australia should be confiscated in terms of the Proceeds of Crime Act, 2002. We filed HCH 8205/23 to try and stop them from stealing but it has not been helpful,” wrote Matsika.
Early this month, Vice-President Mohadi was dragged into the long-standing dispute. In a letter addressed to Mohadi, Matsika appealed for the vice-president’s intervention.
Korzim, which has been operating four gold mining blocks in Shamva since 2009, claims to be the rightful owner of mining blocks 100, 101, 102, and 103, situated on New Brixton Farm.
According to Matsika, the company’s operations have been severely hampered since another company, Summerset Mining Syndicate, also laid claim to the said mining blocks.
“Your Excellency, barely months into operations, another company called Summerset Mining Syndicate came and claimed ownership of the same place,” he wrote.
“We contested that in 2015 by taking Summerset Mining Syndicate, the provincial mining director and the provincial surveyor to court under case HC 8435/15.”
“At that juncture Summerset Mining realising that they could not win the case, hatched a plan and forged a High Court judgment in their favour under a dubious High Court judge. Armed with that they resumed operations.”
The syndicate then resumed operations on Korzim’s claims, leading to further court challenges from the indigenous company.
The letter outlined how Summerset Mining subsequently transferred Korzim’s claims to Canterbury Mining and Milling Company, owned by Australian national Gary Cybrow despite Korzim allegedly holding the original documents.
Canterbury, in turn, reportedly engaged Fourteen Karate Mining Syndicate to continue operations.
“At the same time, there was evidence that officials from the ministry were behind this dispute and involved corruptly in the mining dispute,”
reads the letter to Mohadi.
“Your Excellency, while challenging Summerset Mining Syndicate we discovered that they had already sold our place to another company called Canterbury Mining and Milling Company owned by a white man called Gary Cybrow, an Australian.”
Matsika said political interference had hindered Korzim’s efforts to resume operations and accused “powerful politicians” of being complicit in the ongoing dispute.
“To put pressure on Korzim, a criminal case was opened by ZRP Shamva under CR 209/3/24; CID Minerals DR 06/4/24 and referred to Bindura Magistrate Court.
“However, of great concern is their connivance with the farm owner whom they are working with in order to frustrate us.” Matsika alleged that the farm owner, Kingston Nyamakura, has been working with Cybrow and the syndicates to deny Korzim access to the mining site.
“We feel some powerful politicians are being paid to frustrate all our legitimate efforts to work on our claims despite being armed with genuine ownership documents as well as court judgments in our favour,” he said.
“Corruption is thriving and is very much alive in our case as gold syphoning is being exercised day and night from our claims.
“Your Excellency, it is our sincere hope and trust that your intervention will bring closure and sanity to this situation.”
