Miners fight Govt as Zimbabwean expropriations begin

(miningmx.com) - On May 30, Kuda Mahobele, acting MD of Zimbabwean chrome producer ZimAlloys, took receipt of an unusual parcel. The contents of the parcel, a letter from the government, were not what he expected. Mines minister, Walter Chidhakwa, who had been negotiating with the country’s largest chrome miners to release ground back to government, had confiscated half of the mining claims held by Mahobele’s company. The letter, signed by Mines Permanent Secretary, Francis Gudyanga, read: “Despite repeated efforts to have a common understanding, you have remained evasive with regards to this matter. “Therefore, we will be giving you up to the 7th of June 2016 to present the claims to be handed over to the Ministry (of Mines) or risk the claims being acquired at our discretion and without notice.”