Across Zimbabwe’s mining districts, communities have long raised concerns over environmental damage, land displacement, dust pollution and the social impacts associated with extraction activities. However, findings from the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organisation’s (ZELO) 2025 extractives programme suggest a shift in how these concerns are being handled, with authorities and mining companies increasingly taking action in response to issues raised by affected communities, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
According to ZELO’s 2025 Annual Report, the organisation recorded a 120% performance rate in duty bearer responsiveness during the reporting period under its extractives and mining programme. The indicator tracks the proportion of stakeholders and duty bearers taking action to promote Environmental Economic Social and Cultural Rights (EESCRs), transparency and accountability. Against a target of 20 stakeholders, 14 duty bearers demonstrated tangible responsiveness to community concerns.
The figure points to a growing role for communities in influencing decisions around mining activities, moving away from a situation where residents were often left with limited avenues to seek remedies when affected by extraction-related impacts. This shift is significant given that mining remains the backbone of Zimbabwe’s export earnings, with the country pushing to expand production and attract investment in strategic commodities such as gold, lithium and platinum group metals. Questions around environmental protection, community participation and equitable benefits continue to shape debates around responsible mining, making the responsiveness of duty bearers a critical measure of progress.
According to the report, community-generated evidence played an increasingly important role in influencing responses from key institutions, including the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Rural District Councils and the Forestry Commission. In some cases, complaints raised by communities resulted in direct regulatory action. EMA halted mining operations at three sites following concerns raised by residents, including activities around Vhuta Primary School in Goromonzi, mining sites in Buhera and the Tianling operation in Cromlet. These interventions highlight the growing importance of community monitoring in identifying environmental risks and ensuring that regulatory authorities respond to concerns on the ground.
Beyond regulatory action, local authorities also addressed long-standing grievances. In Buhera, the Rural District Council compensated relocated families with 1,920 metres of outstanding land, responding to a complaint that had persisted for years. In Goromonzi, the District Development Coordinator engaged private sector players to address dust pollution concerns through road rehabilitation initiatives. These actions demonstrate that responsiveness is not limited to enforcement but extends to resolving community disputes and improving living conditions.
Mining companies also took steps to address community needs through social support programmes. Sabi Gold Mine drilled two boreholes, supplied more than 274 benches and chairs to schools and supported learners through scholastic assistance programmes. These corporate social responsibility initiatives reflect a growing recognition among companies that maintaining positive relationships with surrounding communities is essential for operational stability.
For communities, these changes represent a move towards greater participation in decisions affecting their environment and livelihoods. Tsitsi Matumba, a community monitor from Zvishavane, captured this sentiment: “The biggest change is that a significant number of duty bearers and mining companies now listen. They now meaningfully engage us, especially under Canada 64 and 65.” Her remarks underline a broader transformation in which communities are shifting from passive recipients of mining impacts to active agents capable of influencing outcomes.
ZELO said the increased responsiveness demonstrates progress in strengthening accountability between communities, government institutions and mining companies. The organisation noted that evidence collected by communities is increasingly informing decisions around environmental management, social impacts and resource governance. This has improved inter-agency coordination and fostered trust between communities and authorities, according to the report.
The extractives programme assessed progress across four areas: citizen action, duty bearer responsiveness, policy participation and policy outcomes. ZELO reported performance levels of 137% in citizen action, 120% in duty bearer responsiveness, 98% in policy participation and 100% in policy action outcomes during 2025. In terms of citizen action, 274 community members were engaged against a target of 200, achieving a 137% rate. These community monitors undertook 45 documented actions, including reporting 35 cases of mining-related violence, stopping illegal mining activities at multiple sites and conducting accountability meetings across Mutoko, Buhera, Zvishavane and Goromonzi.
The organisation’s findings suggest that community participation is becoming an important measure of responsible mining, particularly as Zimbabwe seeks to balance mineral development with environmental and social considerations. As the country’s mining sector enters a new phase of expansion, the ability of communities to influence decisions affecting their surroundings could become a defining factor in determining whether growth in mineral production translates into sustainable development.
Looking ahead, ZELO said the evolving policy landscape presents strategic opportunities to deepen its impact in 2026. The Mines and Minerals Bill, the Community Economic Empowerment Trusts (CEET) framework and decentralised by-law development are among the key policy processes that will shape the future of mining governance in Zimbabwe.
