Mashwest Provincial Mining Director is currently being held at Police cells in Chinhoyi criminally charged with abuse of office.
Mining Zimbabwe spoke to Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) Commissioner John Makamure who outlined the various offences the Mashwest Provincial Mining Director (PMD) Ms Sibongubuhle Mpindiwa is currently being charged with.
First on the list was the mining title she issued to Frank Siyankuni at a mine owned by Dallaglio Investments contravening section 45 of the Mines and Mineral Act Chapter 21:05
“On 22 February 2019, the accused person Sibongile Mpindiwa being the Acting Provincial Mining Director in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Mashonaland West Province issued a mining certificate to Frank Siyankuni for Ruvengo for Stockdale Farm in Chegutu.
The mining area which was issued to Frank Siyankuni by the accused person belongs to Dallaglio Private Limited which was issued a mining certificate for the same mining area in 2005. The mining certificate to Dallaglio Private Limited was never cancelled.
When the accused person issued the certificate to Frank Siyankuni, she knew very well that Dallaglio Private Limited had a mine with Registration Certificate Ruvengo 77 to 81 at that same area contravening section 45 of the Mines and Mineral Act Chapter 21:05,” the Commissioner said.
The commissioner also said Mpindiwa unlawfully issued a license to a Kwaramba to mine in a farm reserved for a government company violating section 31 subsection 1 paragraph (d) of the Mines and Minerals Act Chapter 21:05
“Sometime in February 2021, the accused person issued Kwaramba a prospecting license to mine at Strathmore Farm located in Banket. The farm is reserved for Mining Promotion Corporation, a Government exploration company under EPO 07/2019.
The accused person issued a prospecting license to Kwaramba whose blocks are located right under the EPO 07/2019.
The accused person as a Provincial Mining Director acted contrary to and inconsistent with her duties as a public officer and her actions were in violation of Section 31 subsection 1 paragraph (d) of the Mines and Minerals Act Chapter 21:05 which states that no person shall be entitled to exercise any of his rights under any prospecting licence or any special grant to carry out prospecting operations or any exclusive prospecting order on an area reserved for another use by the other responsible state authority.
The accused was supposed to act in accordance with the Act by rejecting the application for a prospecting license since the area in question was under EPO 07/2019,” Makamure said.
“On 04 June 2021, the accused person Sibongile Mpindiwa being the Provincial Mining Director in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Mashonaland West Province revoked ZURICH Mine registration number 268 and 269 under revocation invoice number 063213B.
Hardwork Berah Zurich Mine 268 and 269 number 8664 and 8665 had been issued its certificates on 11 September 2006 and was forfeited on in September 2011. The accused person later revoked Zurich Mine registration number 268 and 269 number 8664 and 8665 on 04/06/21 which is 10 years later after the accused person had forfeited the mine in question.
The accused person acted contrary to and inconsistent with her duty thereby Showing Favor to Hardwork Berah and disfavour to Athanas Ranjeni and other applicants on the waiting list Contravening Section 272 subsection (3) of the Mines and Mineral act which requires that such revocation can only be done within 21 days from date of forfeiture.
The accused was supposed to act in accordance with the Act, by rejecting the application to revoke since the time which is required by Section 272 subsection had lapsed,” the commissioner concluded.
After the news broke of the PMD’s arrest more say they will come forward to submit their complaints to the commission after similar experiences.
Meanwhile, the country’s anti-corruption unit is opposing bail stating that the PMD is likely to interfere with witnesses since most of the witnesses fall under her span of control in her capacity as the Provincial Mining Director of Mashonaland West.