.png)
Shamva Gold Mine and Mazowe Mine share a common history. Both once operated under Mzi Khumalo’s Metallon Gold. Both collapsed under the same circumstances, and both were taken over by desperate artisanal miners when formal operations ceased. At Shamva, deaths became routine, and chaos reigned until Kuvimba Mining House stepped in.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Today, Shamva is a model of modern mining, boasting more than 1.5 million fatality-free shifts and proving that Zimbabwean mines can achieve world-class safety and productivity.
Mazowe, however, remains stuck in that past, a graveyard of collapsed shafts, fatalities, and lawlessness. The contrast could not be clearer: where formal ownership was restored, life and order returned. Where the state has delayed, death continues. The lesson is obvious: if Shamva could be transformed under Kuvimba, then Mazowe, under its rightful owner Namib Minerals, can also thrive.
Shamva: From Makorokoza to Modern Mining
When Metallon Gold faltered, Shamva was left in ruins. Artisanal miners flooded the shafts, accidents multiplied, and the mine became a symbol of Zimbabwe’s wider mining decay.
But the takeover by Kuvimba in 2020 turned the tide. Investment was injected, systems restored, and safety made a non-negotiable priority. Fast forward to 2025, Under the leadership of Engineer Gift Mapakame, Shamva has now reached 1,523,000 fatality-free shifts, a feat once thought impossible in the mining environment.
“Reaching this milestone is not about luck or coincidence. It is the result of consistent effort, strict adherence to safety standards, and the belief that every worker must return home safely,” Mapakame said.
Shamva’s turnaround demonstrates that artisanal mining chaos is not inevitable. With proper ownership, capital, and leadership, even a mine written off as dead can become a beacon of safety and sustainability.
Mazowe: A giant in Waiting
Mazowe’s trajectory followed Shamva’s in its decline, but unlike Shamva, it has not yet had its revival. Today, allegedly, over 10,000 artisanal miners swarm Mazowe’s shafts. Deaths are no longer news; they are expected. Collapses, explosions, and suffocations claim lives regularly. Families bury breadwinners with no compensation, no justice, and no recognition.
A Ministry of Mines stop order issued in 2024 has been ignored, while police cite “lack of authorisation” to act. Lawlessness has been allowed to harden into normality.
Meanwhile, Namib Minerals, the legitimate owner of Mazowe Mine, has pledged a US$300 million investment to restore underground operations, create jobs, and increase gold output. Yet, like Metallon before, Namib is blocked not by market forces but by the absence of enforcement.
Two Stories, One Lesson
Shamva and Mazowe are twin stories diverging at one decision: government allowed Shamva to be formally taken over and properly operated by Kuvimba, while Mazowe is yet to formally begin operations.
The proof is before us: when formal operators are empowered, Zimbabwe’s mines thrive. When lawlessness is allowed to prevail, they bleed.
The Way Forward
We cannot claim ignorance. The success at Shamva is living evidence that the revival of Mazowe is possible and urgent. To achieve this, the Ministry of Mines and the Zimbabwe Republic Police must:
- Enforce the stop order and evict illegal operators from Mazowe immediately.
- Secure the mine’s infrastructure to allow Namib Minerals access to its property.
- Back Namib’s US$300 million investment programme with clear political will.
- Provide regulated artisanal mining zones elsewhere, ensuring safety and accountability.
The Last Day Is Now
Shamva was once as chaotic and deadly as Mazowe is today. But Kuvimba’s takeover proved that with formal operations, investment, and leadership, a mine can rise from being a death trap to a gold standard.
The question is not whether Mazowe can be saved. Shamva is a crystal clear example of that. The only question is whether there is a will to allow it to happen.
The latest day to make Mazowe safe was yesterday. The last day to make it right is now.
