Mines and Mining Development Minister Polite Kambamura on Monday shut down an illegal gold processing plant operated by an entity called Oxidise Mine which had illegally established its presence over Trojan Mine claims in Bindura, Mashonaland Central Province.
The closure ordered by Hon. Kambamura followed a series of unacceptable mining practices that constituted environmental violations.
The shutdown has since brought to light fresh allegations of coordinated land invasions targeting assets belonging to State-owned Mutapa Gold Resources and Mutapa Energy Resources in Mashonaland Central Province.
The shutdown at Trojan Mine came hours after President Emmerson Mnangagwa used his Heroes Day address to call for responsible mining practices, warning that mineral output must not come at the expense of communities and the environment.
But industry sources say the Bindura illegal operation at Trojan Mine claims is part of a broader pattern in Kitsiyatota for land grabbing involving Botha Gold Mine and its affiliate Sendoyi Trust, which also faces separate allegations of encroaching on cooperative land in Harare.
Kambamura ordered the immediate closure of Oxidise Mine following a site inspection triggered by weeks of complaints from Bindura residents about dust pollution, blasting tremors and damage to infrastructure.
Speaking after inspecting the site, which overlooks a residential area with a heavy cloud of dust hanging over the operation, the Minister said the mine was operating without the required approvals and lacked a rehabilitation plan for areas being degraded by mining activities.
“We are here in response to grievances from the community regarding unsafe and substandard operations at this mine.
All miners are required to secure the necessary documentation and authorisations before they can begin work.
What we have observed here is that this operation was not authorised.
They are destroying hillsides with no plan in place to restore the land once mining ceases.
As of today, we are halting all operations and we have directed those in charge to present themselves at our offices as we proceed with further inquiries,” Kambamura said.
The Minister’s inspection came after residents raised concerns over blasting operations that had caused tremors damaging nearby infrastructure, including a collapsed borehole, as well as persistent dust pollution that made breathing difficult and forced families to keep their windows closed.
Residents said the mine, established earlier this year, expanded rapidly despite objections.
“When they started, explosions used to cause tremors to our houses. Our neighbour’s borehole collapsed due to the tremors and there is too much dust. Breathing is difficult and our windows are always closed. We asked the mine to suppress dust, but they just implement piecemeal measures,” one resident said.
Another resident alleged: “There is a lot of unprocedural activity in the allowing of this mine to operate.”
An investigation by this publication has exposed that this medium scale operation by Oxidise Mine is being done as joint venture with Botha Gold Mine, however, there is no single mining certificate giving such mining rights to either Oxidise Mine or Botha Gold Mine, according to industry sources.
Initially, reports suggested the illegal processing plant was on Mining Lease 21, a property owned by Freda Rebecca Gold Mine Limited, which is part of Mutapa Gold Resources.
However, information obtained by this publication indicates the shut-down area is actually a large portion of Trojan Mine.
Sources familiar with both properties allege this is not an isolated incident but part of a pattern involving Botha Gold Mine and Sendoyi Trust.
“Following the removal of Botha Gold Mine’s grip on artisanal miners on ML21, where they were illegally collecting 30% of gross earnings from artisanal miners, Botha Gold mine has since moved to its next target- Trojan Mine,” a source said.
The collection of 30% from artisanal miners was illegal and not sanctioned by Mutapa Gold Resources.
The artisanal miners were actually under illegal bondage.
The source described the modus operandi as: “Move in quickly, act formal, set up a processing plant under the eye of EMA, and operate before the Ministry intervenes.”
This pattern raises serious questions about how Botha Gold Mine and its associates have been able to systematically target State-owned assets with apparent impunity.
The shift from ML21 to Trojan Mine suggests a coordinated strategy rather than isolated incidents of encroachment.
In a separate matter, Sally Mugabe Heights Housing Cooperative Society Limited has accused Sendoyi Trust – a 36% shareholder in Botha Gold Mine – of attempting a similar invasion on cooperative land in, Harare.
In a letter dated 1 July 2026 from ZUZE LAW CHAMBERS, the Cooperative’s lawyers said their client was allocated Acorn Farm for housing development and that Stand 2065 falls within that allocation.
The letter alleges that Mr Dhlowani is interfering with the Cooperative’s peaceful possession of Stand 2065 and that “the Trust’s directors are deliberately interfering with our clients’ peaceful possession of stand 2065… without any legal cause.”
The lawyers noted that a court order presented by Sendoyi regarding eviction from Stand 87 Crowhill “has nothing to do with Acorn Farm.
“We therefore put you on notice to immediately desist from interfering with our clients’ peaceful possession and occupation of their stands on Acorn Farm,” the letter states.
“Should you fail to heed this call, we have instructions to institute legal proceedings to protect our clients’ possession of stand 2665 Sally Mugabe Heights, Acorn Farm and we shall seek costs of suit on a punitive scale. We also reserve our clients’ rights to institute criminal charges of trespass.”
Public records associate Sendoyi Trust with Mr Themba Hlongwani, who is also listed as Managing Director of Botha Gold Mine and Side Electricals.
This web of interlinked entities – Sendoyi Trust, Botha Gold Mine, and Side Electricals – points to a network of interests that appear to be systematically encroaching on both State-owned mining assets and private land.
The allegations have raised questions about why Provincial and District Heads for the Ministry of Mines, ZRP MFFU, and EMA have remained quiet amid what is being termed “plunder of state assets.”
The silence from regulatory authorities is particularly striking given the documented pattern of invasions and the mounting evidence of coordinated efforts to seize control of valuable mining properties.
Mashonaland Central Provincial Mines Director Kashiri said he was not in a position to comment while Environment Management Authority Bindura District Officer Mrs Chinhoyi refered the questions to the head office.
EMA Mashonaland Central Provincial manager Rwafa said: “I know there are many issues in Mashonaland Central but I can not pin point just a single case.”
Sendoyi Trust representative Stanley Marime said: “I can not help you with the information, I wish if I could.”
Oxidise Mine manager Huang Hong Hu said: “Yes, we have stopped the operations. We are working on what the minister said before resuming operations.
“While Bindura District Commanding officer refered the issue to the national spokesperson Paul Nyathi who said he has not been briefed on the issue.
Minister Kambamura’s visit to Bindura on a public holiday to attend to a matter ordinarily handled at district level by Environmental Management Agency (EMA) inspectors illustrates the extent of what has been described as selective treatment by authorities towards Botha Gold Mine’s activities.
