A violent clash between Zimbabwe’s Penhalonga residents and several artisanal gold miners working under Prime Royal Africa erupted last week Friday, according to the Centre for Natural Resource Governance.
The community confronted hundreds of artisanal miners, demanding that they leave their area.
They accused the artisanal gold miners of contributing to an increase in violence and crime in the Penhalonga.
“Locals complained that their fields are being dug up and rendered unusable. Pits were also being dug alongside the roads, less than the 450 meters stipulated in the Mines and Minerals Act,” said CNRG.
“The entire Penhalonga area has become an ecological disaster as law enforcement agents also joined the gold rush. Access to the pits is granted only to those politically connected and yet the impacts are felt by the community.”
There had been a tension between the community and the miners after PRA entered into a seven-year lease agreement with Redwing Mine which permitted the former to carry out alluvial mining in Tsvingwe and Penhalonga.
CNRG said it is concerned with the rise in tensions and conflicts over control and access to mineral resources.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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