MUTAPA Gold Resources Procurement Executive, Mr Ali Nyirenda, has revealed an ambitious infrastructure development programme spanning multiple operations, as the State-owned mining conglomerate moves to address one of the sector’s most persistent bottlenecks: poor road access, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Speaking at the Mine Entra Suppliers and Energy Symposium in Bulawayo, Mr Nyirenda, who serves as a shared procurement resource across Mutapa Gold Resources and Mutapa Energy, disclosed that the group is actively engaged in road construction and rehabilitation projects at Sandawana, Jena, and along the critical Kwekwe-Silobela highway.
Sandawana Road: 52km All-Weather Route
Mr Nyirenda confirmed that construction of a new tarred, all-weather road to Sandawana Mine in Mberengwa will commence on 1 August. The 52-kilometre stretch has historically become impassable during the rainy season, severely hampering operations.
“Our Sandawana Mine, that road is actually a 52-kilometre road that is very difficult to use. So what we have done is we are actually constructing a new road starting on the 1st of August. That will be a tarred, all-weather road, not a substandard road,” he said.
The investment comes as Mutapa Energy recently certified a 39.9-million-tonne lithium resource at Sandawana, following an 11-month drilling programme covering 103,000 metres at a cost of US$24 million. The company has already mined about two million tonnes of ore and is constructing a three-million-tonne-per-year concentrator plant. Supporting infrastructure already includes the relocation of 104 families and the development of a school and clinic.
The road project directly responds to concerns raised by Mberengwa villagers last year, who had urged the mine to repair gravel roads being damaged by more than 40 heavy trucks carrying lithium ore daily. Local leaders had warned that ambulances could no longer respond to emergencies because the roads were “hardly usable”.
Kwekwe-Silobela Highway: Government Partnership
Mr Nyirenda also confirmed that Mutapa is in negotiations to rehabilitate the highway from Kwekwe to Silobela, a critical artery that has long been a source of frustration for motorists and businesses.
The Kwekwe-Nkayi-Lupane Road is considered strategic, as it reduces the distance from Kwekwe to Victoria Falls by approximately 100 kilometres. However, its poor condition has forced many motorists to prefer the longer Bulawayo route. The road has been in such poor condition that commuter operators were charging between US$6 and US$10 for journeys that usually cost US$4.
The Government has already commenced rehabilitation works on sections of the road, with the contractor having moved onto the site. Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Owen Ncube recently toured a section being rehabilitated in Silobela, hailing it as a “milestone achievement”.
Senators have also raised concerns over the poor state of the road, with Senator Ritta Ndlovu noting that travelling to destinations such as Silobela had become extremely difficult, taking between seven and ten hours.
Beyond infrastructure, Mr Nyirenda called for policy stability and the allocation of funds to support local supply development.
“We need reliable savings. We need the allocation of our funds to deliver local supply development. That is the talk of the day — leverage consolidated volumes, policy stability, and also look at other delivery corridors because of the congestion that is happening,” he said.
Mr Nyirenda noted that rising global inflation in fuel, steel, reagents, and freight had driven mining costs up by more than 10 percent, with geopolitical conflicts exacerbating supply chain disruptions. He also cited foreign exchange constraints as a key challenge, with foreign suppliers demanding 100 percent upfront payments due to perceived currency instability.
