The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has, with immediate effect, suspended all mining and associated activities at Botha Mine and the bordering area of Freda Rebecca Gold Mine’s Lease 21 (Phoenix Prince) in Bindura, citing conditions that pose “immediate and unacceptable risks to life, health, and safety.”
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The suspension order, dated 9 April 2026 and signed by the Provincial Mining Director for Mashonaland Central, follows a separate suspension letter issued to both mine managers on 8 April 2026.
Legal Basis for Suspension
The government has invoked Section 267, read together with Sections 300 and 301 of the Mining (Management and Safety) Regulations of 1990, specifically S.I. 109 of 1990.
According to the official suspension documents, the shutdown was necessitated by several critical conditions. These include an unsafe and violent operating environment marked by an escalation of violence, including shootings, assaults, and intimidation, creating hazardous working conditions and direct risk to personnel and the public. The regulator also cited loss of control and unauthorized access, noting the presence of unauthorized persons and illegal mining activities resulting in uncontrolled operations and exposure to unsafe practices.
Further grounds for the suspension include a breakdown of safety management systems, specifically the failure to maintain effective supervision, enforce safety procedures, and ensure compliance with statutory occupational safety requirements. The government also pointed to non-compliance with occupational health and safety standards, including lack of PPE enforcement, unsafe working conditions, and the absence of adequate safety controls across operations. Additionally, the Mines Inspectorate reported obstruction of regulatory oversight, with conditions on site preventing safe access for inspection and verification.
The suspension order requires that all mining and allied activities cease immediately upon receipt of the order. All operational grounds must be cleared forthwith, and no personnel, equipment, or processing activities shall remain active on site. A register of all mine security and authorized personnel must be submitted to the Provincial Mining Office at the beginning of the workday on Friday, 10 April 2026. Such a register shall be kept at all key entry points for inspection by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
Conditions for Lifting the Suspension
Operations will only resume upon verified compliance with a range of safety and administrative measures. All mining and allied activities must be operated within the legal boundaries of the respective mines. Demonstrable measures must be applied for the elimination and monitoring of violence and insurgency, including the searching for illegal weapons and substances, and the monitoring of intoxicated personnel within the mining premises.
Management control must be re-established through effective supervision and oversight of all mining activities by competent personnel. Occupational safety systems must be fully implemented, including the enforcement of PPE usage, safe work procedures, and hazard control measures as mandated in Sections 47 and 48 of S.I. 109 of 1990. Incident reporting systems must be reinstated, with proper recording and reporting of all accidents and safety-related incidents as provided for in the same regulations.
Health and sanitation requirements demand that all employees undergo medical examinations in compliance with Section 14 and the Pneumoconiosis Act. Adequate ablution facilities must also be constructed and maintained in terms of the Mining (Health and Sanitation) Regulations of 1995, specifically Section 9. Finally, a register of employees must be maintained to account for all workers employed at the mine, including contractors, in terms of Section 296 of the Mining (Management and Safety) Regulations, S.I. 109 of 1990.
The suspension order affects Botha Mine, with registration numbers 46035 to 46038, and the bordering area of Freda Rebecca Gold Mine’s Lease 21. According to publicly filed court documents, the area has been the subject of competing claims. A spoliation order under case number HC 653/26 was previously issued by the High Court, restoring possession of disputed ground and affirming that parties may not take possession through self-help. The underlying legal status of Mining Lease 21 remains unresolved.
The suspension order will remain in force until all health and safety deficiencies have been rectified to the satisfaction of the Mines Inspectorate.
