Newsday reports that in November 2023, Zimasco shut down
small-scale mining operations in Mutorashanga, Mhondoro, Lalapanzi, Shurugwi,
Mashava, Mberengwa and Neta, snuffing the life out of the contracted local
chrome miners.
However, several Chinese miners have been allowed to take
over business in the areas that the local investors used to operate. The
Chinese miners, it was established, are selling the chrome to buyers of their
own choice, including outside Zimbabwe.
The local miners, known as tributors, are questioning why
they were forced to cease operations while foreign miners appear to be given
preferential treatment as they continue with their mining activities on the
chrome claims.
To add to their woes, Zimasco does not let the tributors
sell the chrome ore that they had already accumulated.
“The challenge now is that local miners had already
extracted some ore . . . when the contacts were abruptly cancelled. This is
despite the fact that the contracts were supposed to expire in December 2023
and they could renew them the following year, as has been the case for 15
years,” Antonio said.
“That ore is lying idle right now,” he said, “and the
miners are not allowed to sell it.”
Zimasco chief executive officer John Musekiwa initially
said he would respond to questions in writing, but later said the Zimasco
personnel were tied up in meetings.
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