Betterbrands mining company was forced to close its mining
operations recently after several deaths were recorded at the mine.
The closure of the mine came after the Centre for Research
and Development (CRD), Ziva Community Empowerment Trust, and Penhalonga Youth
Development Ratepayers Trust claimed that 100 artisanal workers had died at
Sakupwanya’s mine since 2020.
Recently, the company was accused of conducting secret
mining activities despite a government order to suspend operations.
Ema Manicaland provincial manager Kingstone Chitotombe said
Betterbrands had resumed mining activities.
“Yes, they (Betterbrands) have resumed mining operations.
We gave them conditions to operate. If they comply they are going to be
successful,” Chitotombe said.
NewsDay is in possession of the letter directed to
Betterbrands by EMA.
“We would like to commend your efforts towards bringing
sanity to the mining areas and your efforts towards addressing concerns from
stakeholders. We further take note of your commitment to comply with
recommendations given in the joint inspection report,” the March 14 letter by
EMA read.
“However, we remain highly concerned with the frequency of
fatalities occurring at your mine. We take note that most of the fatalities
that have been reported since the beginning of this year are gassing-related
incidents.
“In this regard, you may resume operations on the following
conditions: operations should resume only after Betterbrands has purchased
eight gas monitors. There is a pre-requisite for re-entry into workings and
they can detect concentrations of gases that may have accumulated in the
process as is being witnessed by reports of fatalities reported to date.”
Ema demanded that Betterbrands strengthens access control
with immediate effect by completely fencing off the area being mined.
“You must implement an effective clocking in and out system
to ensure that those working in the mine are held accountable. Put adequate
measures to comply with mine management and safety regulations,” read the
letter.
CRD director James Mupfumi said Betterbrands was being
protected by the political elite who are benefiting from the gold smuggling
syndicates.
“BetterBrands does not care where gold is coming from, he
just cares about meeting targets of the Gold Mafia in Dubai. Mining is being
done at the expense of human life and this is the reason why sometimes he has
been defying the government ban to mine at Redwing because he has been
protected by the political elites who are benefiting from the gold smuggling
ring,” Mupfumi said.
Sakupwanya did not answer calls from NewsDay yesterday.
He is a key Zanu PF member and is expected to help raise
finances for the ruling party’s 2023 election campaign.
Civil society organisations operating in Manicaland this
year issued a joint Press statement expressing concern over deadly mine
accidents in Penhalonga.
“Since 2020, we have observed that Betterbrands has engaged
artisanal miners in subsistence surface mining operations at Redwing Mine in
what appears to be lack of capacity by the company to invest in modern
large-scale gold mining equipment,” the statement read.
“We have noticed that artisanal miners are poorly
resourced, they are dying from shaft and roof collapsing as a result of weak
and unsupported roofs. Only half way through the month of January 2023, four
have died, two from ground collapse and two from flooding in a shaft.
“Since January, at least four other mine deaths have been
recorded at the mine. A minimal of 47 artisanal mine workers (25 in 2021 and 22
in 2022 were confirmed by relevant officials to have lost their lives. Sources
working in the mine pits indicated that over 100 people lost their lives in the
pits since 2020 but some are not officially recorded,” read the statement by
civic organisations, the Centre for Resource Governance (CRD), Zivai Community
Empowerment Trust, and Penhalonga Youth Development Trust. Newsday
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