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Chinese Companies Loot Midlands While Locals Chop Each Other With Machetes

A video has emerged showing the devastating effect of uncontrolled open cast mining for chrome that is happening in Shurugwi. Companies have been mining along the Shurugwi – Zvishavane road without restriction causing untold deforestation and landscape destruction.

Residents of the area around Mapanzure have expressed their disdain at the contempt and disregard of human life shown by Chinese.

Tafumaneyi, a villager recounted the experience with tears welling dow his eyes.

The Chinese did not consult us. These areas were our grazing lands but the just came with their bulldozers and started digging pits. These pits are dangerous to us and to our livestock. Imagine, they just dig here and jump to the next without reclamation.

To add insult to injury, these Chinese companies do not employ any of our youths neither do they make any attempt to develop the area. Check the road, the whole area is potholes because they use Caterpillars without regard.

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We even approached President Mnangagwa. He comes from here but he does not even care. The other time he came here for a funeral and elders told him that people here have ailments that come from the dust and noise from these mines. But he does nothing!”

The situation has been exacerbated by the lack of jobs and drought that has been hitting the area. Youths have also resorted to gold-panning which of late has been in the headlines due to turf wars by rival gold-panners who end up killing each other with machetes.

The government has been turning a blind eye to both the illegal mining by the Chinese and the turf wars as it is rumored that the cartels are all proxies of the president.