A chrome mining company operating in Chiromo Village, Zaka, has been ordered to shut down operations after the High Court ruled in favour of local villagers who argued that the mining activities threatened their homes, livelihoods, and sacred ancestral sites, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
Bailzone Mining (Pvt) Ltd, which held 60 mining certificates covering vast swathes of the rural village, was forced to down tools following a legal challenge mounted by villagers who said their constitutional rights were being violated by the company’s presence.
The applicants in the case—Gideon Rushinga, John Rushinga, Million Rushinga, and Pride Garauzive—successfully argued that Bailzone’s mining operations were encroaching on their homesteads, agricultural fields, grazing land, and graveyards. These sites, they said, were not only vital for their economic survival but also held deep traditional and spiritual significance.
The villagers also challenged the legal standing of the mining company’s operations, citing the Minister of Mines and Mining Development and the Sheriff of Zimbabwe as respondents in the matter. They demanded the cancellation of Bailzone’s certificates of registration, which were issued by the Provincial Mining Director for Masvingo.
In addition to questioning the legality of the mining claims, the villagers called for the nullification of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report that was approved by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA). They insisted that no mining activities should be allowed in Chiromo without community consultation, consent, and a proper assessment of environmental and cultural impact.
Court documents revealed that Bailzone’s attempt to obtain a court order barring villagers from interfering with its operations had earlier been dismissed, setting the stage for the more decisive case that followed. The court found that the mining company had failed to produce any evidence proving it had the legal authority—or the consent of the Zaka Rural District Council—to prospect or operate in the area.
Riding on the momentum of that ruling, the villagers escalated their legal fight, this time targeting the EIA reports and seeking a declaration that the chrome mining operations were both unlawful and socially disruptive.
Bailzone Mining contested the villagers’ arguments, claiming its mining certificates were still valid and had not been withdrawn by the Ministry. However, the court remained unmoved, siding with the community’s demand for protection of land rights, heritage, and their right to development in dignity and peace.
The judgment has been welcomed by many within Zimbabwe’s rural communities as a landmark decision highlighting the growing tension between rural landholders and mining companies in the country. It also reinforces calls for more responsible mining practices that respect environmental laws, traditional land uses, and the rights of rural citizens to free, prior, and informed consent.
As Zimbabwe pushes to boost investment in the mining sector under the US$12 billion target, the ruling is a timely reminder that development must not come at the expense of people’s homes, heritage, and fundamental rights.
