ZANU PF benefactor and prominent gold dealer Pedzisai Scott Sakupwanya’s gold operations at Redwing Mine in Penhalonga, Manicaland province, have been closed by the Environmental Management Agency (Ema) following reports of numerous fatal accidents involving artisanal miners.
Sakupwanya through his company Better Brands Mining has
been defying Ema’s directive to stop operations until civic groups threatened
to picket at the mine.
In a joint statement yesterday, the Centre for Research and
Development (CRD), Ziva Community Empowerment Trust, and Penhalonga Youth
Development Ratepayers Trust claimed
that 100 artisanal have died at Sakupwanya’s mine since 2020.
Sakupwanya is a key Zanu PF member and is expected to
finance the ruling party’s 2023 election campaign.
He has also been previously pictured with President
Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House.
Sakupwanya has become the biggest gold dealer in the
country amid reports that he was using his close links with the First Family.
He is also the ruling party’s councillor for Mabvuku-Tafara
in Harare.
NewsDay is in possession of a letter written by Better
Brands dated January 20, 2023, confirming the company’s decision to halt
operations in compliance with Ema’s directives.
“Better Brands hereby advises its valued stakeholders that
all surface mining operations shall be suspended with immediate effect due to
the concerns about the increased number of fatalities, and environmental
degradation.
Better Brands Mining shall take this opportunity to
restructure and rehabilitate the mining field in preparation for the resumption
of surface and underground mining,” the letter read.
But CRD director James Mupfumi said the temporary stoppage
was meant to hoodwink the world into believing that Sakupwanya respects the rule
of law.
“It is a temporary ban meant to fool the country from
demanding accountability. It has happened twice with lies on promises to return
to safe mining practices. We are approaching the government and Parliament to
summon Better Brands.
“If the government fails to heed our call, we are
approaching the United Nations (UN) human rights to express our concern on
government’s failure to protect citizens from militia mining that is taking
place at Redwing Mine. Zimbabwe is a signatory to the UN on the sanctity of
human life and government protection,” Mupfumi said. Newsday
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