Mining ZimbabweLatest Mining News, Policy and Industry Updates

Fresh evidence from the Ministry of Mines, police dockets, and High Court applications reveals that the Chinese investor recently convicted of a massive gold ore theft is now at the centre of a sophisticated new alleged fraud scheme designed to illegally seize the very same ore dump he was ordered to return to the victim, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

This follow-up investigation, building on Mining Zimbabwe’s landmark exposé of the Reajin Mines theft case, uncovers a multi-layered campaign involving a new entity—the Zhangveng Syndicate—which the Ministry of Mines has confirmed to police is not the owner of the disputed dump and is under investigation for falsifying survey documents.

The new scheme alleges that Zheng Zhangxian, the convicted owner of Reajin Enterprises, has ganged up with new local partners to continue his fight against miner Emmanuel Ndemera through the courts, using what the Ministry has declared an illegal corporate vehicle and allegedly falsified paperwork, in a brazen attempt to circumvent his recent conviction and a US$875,667.67 restitution order.

The New Syndicate: A “Corporate Veil” for a Convicted Entity?

Just days after the Mutoko Regional Magistrates Court delivered its verdict against Reajin Mine on 8 September 2025, a new entity, the Zhangveng Syndicate, was formalised on 8 September 2025. Its directors are Vengai Kurarama (a Zimbabwean) and Zheng Zhangxian, the same Chinese national convicted for the theft of over 5,000 tonnes of ore from Ndemera’s claim.

According to a source close to the investigation, “The syndicate was created in order to take the dump. The day they were given a verdict by the Magistrates is when they created the syndicate.”

Critically, a Ministry of Mines investigation has found that this very structure is illegal. The Ministry has pointed out that the law requires foreign nationals to be cleared by the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (ZIDA) and to form proper companies, not informal syndicates, with locals. Zhangveng, as a syndicate between a foreigner and a local, contravenes this provision.

“Zhangveng Syndicate contravenes a section that a Zimbabwean and a foreigner cannot be a syndicate; it was supposed to be a registered company, not a syndicate,” a legal expert familiar with the case noted.

This raises immediate questions about the legitimacy of the entity now pursuing the dump. “It appears that Reajin and Zhangveng are the same because Zheng Zhangxian is a director of both,” the source added, highlighting a potential “corporate veil” being used to continue operations.

The Core of the New Fraud: Falsified Coordinates and a Ministry Sting

The dispute over the dump’s location has now escalated into a criminal investigation.

A crucial letter from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, dated 6 October 2025, resulted from a fact-finding mission to the Zhangveng site. The mission, which included Ministry surveyors, used a hand-held GPS to pinpoint the exact location of the contested dump.

The Ministry’s finding was unequivocal: the dump lies approximately 1.6 km away from the nearest corner beacon of Zhangveng’s registered block of claims.

This finding is the foundation for serious criminal charges now being investigated by the police. A case was reported at Mutoko Police Station under case number CR 68 09 of 25.

The charges laid include:

1. Contravening Section 376 of the Mines and Minerals Act: “Position of beacons and pegs may not be altered.” The Ministry’s letter explicitly states that “Zhangveng Mining Syndicate altered their position of beacons.”

2. Contravening Section 383 (False Declaration): Zhangveng is accused of “declaring survey grade coordinates falsely” and “lying that their block is 20 hectares from 10 hectares registered.”

In simple terms, the syndicate is accused of moving its boundary beacons on paper to fraudulently claim the dump was on its property and lying about the size of its claim to the authorities.

A Ministry of Mines letter, confirmed to have been sent to the police, explicitly states that the dump was being stolen from Ndemera’s mine and that Zhangveng is not its owner, directly contradicting the syndicate’s claims.

The High Court Gambit and Allegations of Perjury

Undeterred by the police investigation, Zhangveng Syndicate took the fight to the High Court. They filed an urgent chamber application against Ndemera under case number HC 4522 of 2025, seeking to stop him from interfering with the dump.

A source alleges this application was built on falsified documents. “It means they should be investigated for perjury, for giving a High Court judge false papers,” the source stated.

The application also allegedly contained another falsehood. “It is alleged that they lied through the papers that Ndemera doesn’t have an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment). It was discovered that the EIA is there; EMA discovered everything.” This suggests a pattern of submitting misleading information to the courts.

A Pattern of Behaviour and Political Smears

The notes from the complainant paint a picture of a relentless campaign. “The Chinese is ganging up with local people to steal, he ganged with Takura, now ganging up with this one. All he wants is to steal,” the source said, characterising the repeated partnerships as a method for illegal acquisition.

The notes also reveal frustration with the legal process, alleging that “the lawyer to the accused is protecting the accused from arrest.”

This new chapter in the long-running saga presents a critical test for Zimbabwe’s mining governance. It questions whether a convicted entity can simply create a new, legally dubious vehicle to continue its fight for disputed assets through what authorities have evidence to suggest is fraud.

The case now sits at a complex intersection:

1. An active police investigation for falsifying coordinates and documents.
2. A parallel High Court case allegedly built on those same falsified documents, raising questions of perjury.
3. A Ministry of Mines that has consistently provided technical evidence supporting the original victim, Ndemera.

Zimbabwe’s new Mines and Minerals Bill has come under scrutiny for failing to address two critical issues — the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale miners, and the reduction of mercury use in gold processing — despite the country’s commitments under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Ryan Chigoche

Planet Gold Zimbabwe, which has been leading efforts to promote responsible and mercury-free mining, says the Bill misses a key opportunity to modernise the country’s mining framework in a way that reflects the realities of its expanding small-scale mining sector.

These concerns are drawn from Planet Gold Zimbabwe’s forthcoming publication, “Strengthening the Mines and Minerals Bill: Advancing Reforms for the Benefit of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe.” The report outlines major policy gaps and offers practical recommendations for a more inclusive and environmentally aligned mining regime.

Speaking during a recent media dialogue hosted by Planet Gold Zimbabwe, the organisation’s ASGM Technical Specialist, Mollyn Siwella, said that while the Bill represents a progressive step toward updating the outdated Mines and Minerals Act of 1961, it overlooks key issues affecting small-scale miners, who now contribute more than 60 percent of the country’s gold output.

“The Bill does not adequately reflect the operational, economic, and social realities of artisanal miners,” Siwella explained. “It doesn’t speak directly to the artisanal element of the sector, yet this is where much of the country’s gold production comes from.”

Siwella noted that the Bill’s demand for upfront compliance could push many miners further into informality rather than bringing them under regulation.

According to a recent Planet Gold Zimbabwe study, ASM operators indicated that the formalisation process remains complex, costly, and poorly aligned with their daily realities. Many miners cited overlapping statutory requirements, long approval delays, and excessive compliance costs as major deterrents to joining the formal economy.

In light of these findings, the stakeholders called for a phased formalisation model supported by financial assistance, technical training, and improved market access to help build the sector’s capacity and unlock its full potential.

Siwella added that inefficiencies within the current system create barriers to formalisation, undermine environmental protection, and reduce accountability in the sector.

Another major concern raised by Planet Gold Zimbabwe is the Bill’s silence on mercury use, despite Zimbabwe being a signatory to the Minamata Convention on Mercury — a global treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from mercury pollution.

“Given Zimbabwe’s international obligations under the Minamata Convention, we had expected the Bill to include clear provisions on mercury reduction, including incentives and technical support for the uptake of safer processing technologies,” said Siwella. “This was a missed opportunity.”

Planet Gold Zimbabwe is implementing a five-year initiative to reduce mercury use by nearly five tonnes within the ASM sector. Research by the organisation shows that about 96 percent of artisanal miners still rely on mercury for gold processing, with some sites using up to 100 kilograms per month.

Through partnerships with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, the National Metallurgical Laboratory, and the University of Zimbabwe, the project has identified 72 mine sites across 11 districts where mercury-free gold recovery technologies will be piloted. The initiative includes the establishment of both mobile and stationary demonstration plants to show that miners can recover more gold without using mercury.

“We are testing different mercury-free technologies tailored to Zimbabwe’s mining conditions,” said Siwella. “The goal is to show that clean mining is not only safer for people and the environment but also more profitable.”

Planet Gold is also developing a Mining Academy to train artisanal miners in financial management, technical skills, and sustainable practices.

Upcoming research will focus on tracking mercury supply chains, examining how mercury enters and circulates within Zimbabwe, and exploring incentives for gold buyers to pay a premium for mercury-free gold.

Siwella said these initiatives are meant to complement policy reform, but they can only succeed if the legislative framework recognises the ASM sector as a legitimate and vital part of Zimbabwe’s mining economy.

“Formalisation should not be about punishment or exclusion,” she said. “It should be about building capacity, protecting livelihoods, and ensuring that Zimbabwe’s gold is produced responsibly.”

As stakeholders await the implementation of the new law, Planet Gold Zimbabwe says it will continue advocating for an inclusive framework that bridges the gap between policy intentions and miners’ lived realities, ensuring that formalisation, environmental protection, and cleaner technologies move forward together.