'Shurugwi Mayor Calls for Dialogue With Chinese Miner Chengxi Over Violations’ 28 January 2025

Shurugwi Mayor Fanuel Machiya says Chinese company Chengxi Pvt Ltd, chaired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's son Collins, should be more responsible as it has put immense pressure on the mining town's infrastructure while contributing very little to the well-being of society. Machiya said there was a need for urgent dialogue between the company, the town's residents and other stakeholders to address growing tensions as a result of the company's mining activities. He revealed that previous efforts to engage the company have been futile because it has been resisting engagement. A recent investigation conducted by NewZimbabwe.com and commissioned by the Information for Development Trust (IDT) revealed that hundreds of houses in Shurugwi are at risk of collapse due to the company's blasting operations.

Residents also complained about the large amount of dust they are inhaling because of the company's mining operations as well as the disruption of their lifestyles. Chengxi is engaged in large-scale opencast gold mining across several sites, including the Peak Area Boterekwa, Wanderer, and Dunraven, where it has caused massive damage to tourist attractions and picturesque areas. Residents say they receive little to no warning before blasting occurs, which takes place randomly, day and night, leading to significant structural damage. The investigation highlighted that Chengxi employs high-capacity explosives, leading to severe impacts felt in residents' homes. Cracks in walls, roads and falling ceilings have become common, with many residents fearing for the safety of their houses, particularly as many are built on top of outdated underground mining tunnels.

…The company has faced criticism for its environmental impact, having caused significant degradation to popular tourist sites like the Wolfshall Pass and Dunraven Waterfalls. Chengxi general manager Simon Karimanzira insists that they have done a lot for the community to address problems caused by their operations. "We have a lot of projects we are currently implementing in giving back to the community or as we implement our Corporate Social Responsibility Policy which targets education, agriculture, mining and health sector. "This CSR policy is being implemented through working with the DDC's office, our local MPs, Councillors and relevant government stakeholders of the specific socio-economic target sectors. "We want to empower communities both in Shurugwi North and South hence the projects we targeted are of high impact covering as many beneficiaries as possible," he said.