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Chinese Company’s Deceptive Tactics Exposed in Zimbabwean Mining Scandal

A shocking revelation has emerged where a Chinese company, Friends of the Environment, was found to be engaging in deceptive tactics, duping the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) into a partnership to close open pits left by artisanal miners in Umzingwane River.

Instead, the company was secretly carrying out riverbed mining, causing significant environmental damage.

Tafadzwa Muguti, the secretary for presidential affairs and devolution, exposed the scandal, stating: “We had a Chinese company here, Friends of the Environment, who partnered with EMA and the province later found out that by day they were closing the pits in the name of Friends of the Environment and by night they were mining.

They destroyed a whole bridge while looking for gold,” he said.

The company’s actions not only damaged a 150-meter bridge but also contributed to poor inflows into major dams supplying Bulawayo with water.

Muguti emphasized the severity of the situation, saying: “This is Umzingwane River, it supplies water to Bulawayo, and the collapse of this bridge is causing water challenges as the water has stopped flowing.”

The incident highlights the concerns surrounding the influx of Chinese investment in Zimbabwe’s mining sector.

Muguti noted, “Not everyone is coming for the benefit of Zimbabwe.”

Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has also been vocal about the issue, stating: “I rode my bicycle 40km towards Umzingwane Dam last Saturday to assess the situation myself. I was shocked – not a single stream was flowing after all that rain. The reason? Illegal gold panners!”

The EMA has since terminated the partnership with Friends of the Environment, but it remains unclear if anyone will face prosecution.

As Zimbabwe grapples with the environmental and economic implications of this scandal, one thing is certain – the need for increased vigilance and accountability in the mining sector has never been more pressing.

-ZimLive

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