The government is stepping up oversight of Zimbabwe’s mining sector through an ongoing Responsible Mining Audit (RMA) Training Workshop, aimed at addressing compliance gaps highlighted in previous audits and signalling a tougher stance on operators who disregard the law, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
The workshop comes as the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, working closely with multiple Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), prepares to roll out the pilot project, National Responsible Mining Audit Framework (NRMAF).
Last year, inspectors visited 728 mining operations, up from 424 in 2023, reflecting a significant ramp-up in the government’s compliance monitoring. Fines totalling USD 680,000 were imposed, demonstrating a firmer and more assertive enforcement approach.
Yet, despite these advances, the recent ENM Advisory Group RMA Gap Analysis Report (2025) revealed that compliance challenges persist, underscoring the urgent need for a structured, nationwide framework to ensure consistency and accountability across the sector.
Recognising these challenges, Deputy Chief Government Mining Engineer T. Paswavaviri emphasised the importance of the training workshop in equipping inspectors to tackle these gaps.
“This training matters because the country is depending on us to anchor responsible mining. As mining expands and new players enter the sector, our oversight must stay ahead—technically sound, coordinated, and uncompromising when it comes to protecting national interests, communities, and the environment.”
To further strengthen oversight, Paswavaviri highlighted the need for close collaboration among all government institutions involved in mining.
“The mining sector touches multiple institutions—Mines, EMA, RDCs, ZIMRA, Labour, and others. If these institutions work in silos, we lose time, duplicate work, and create space for non-compliance. The ‘One Audit, One File’ approach is a game-changer. It harmonises operations, standardises what we collect, and maintains one consolidated audit record per operation. This isn’t just procedural—it’s a cultural shift. We work as one government, with one story, one compliance standard, and shared responsibility.”
According to Eng Paswavaviri, the training also serves to strengthen the technical capacity of inspectors across all participating agencies.
Trainees are learning to apply statutory compliance requirements, integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, and follow standardised audit procedures.
Digital tracking systems, uniform reporting templates, and consolidated audit files will also be introduced to make inspections more consistent, reliable, and defensible.
By harmonising inspections nationwide, these measures are intended to ensure that audits under the forthcoming National RMA Framework are standardised, predictable, and enforceable.
The framework also aims to address challenges identified in previous audits, where fragmented inspections often produced conflicting findings and created loopholes that some operators exploited.
The timing of the workshop reinforces the government’s broader push for stricter oversight.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has warned that operators who flout environmental and safety laws risk removal from the sector, a stance echoed by Mines Minister Winston Chitando, who has stressed that repeat offenders will face decisive action.
Despite increased coverage, higher fines, and a stronger enforcement stance, audits continue to reveal significant non-compliance among small-scale and informal miners. Many operations remain unlicensed, unsafe, and in breach of environmental and labour standards, highlighting the urgency of building a more capable inspectorate.
Through the establishment of a national cascade of skills and the enforcement of uniform compliance standards from district to provincial levels, the Ministry aims to make the National RMA Framework effective, consistent, and credible. The initiative combines enforcement with guidance, helping miners formalise their operations safely and sustainably.
The training represents a decisive step toward a mining sector that is more accountable, transparent, and aligned with national expectations.
The goal, according to the government, is to position Zimbabwe as a pioneer in structured, principle-based mining oversight, sending a clear signal that non-compliance will no longer be tolerated.
