Chinese cement manufacturer Shuntai Investments has appealed a US$10,000 fine imposed by the High Court for contempt of court after it was found guilty of operating in the vicinity of Bryden Country School in Chegutu without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate in violation of a court order, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
The ruling followed a case brought by Bryden Country School, which in March successfully secured a provisional order halting construction of a cement plant near the school.
Despite the injunction, Shuntai continued work at the site before obtaining the mandatory EIA in April.
The High Court concluded that this breach of the stop order warranted the contempt ruling and imposed the fine.
In its Supreme Court appeal, Shuntai argued that the evidence was insufficient to prove contempt and maintained that the fine was disproportionate.
Its lawyers said the court misinterpreted routine construction activity at the site and failed to properly consider the company’s financial position before setting the penalty.
The move to contest the relatively modest fine has reignited debate over investor accountability.
For a project expected to create around 800 permanent jobs and help address Zimbabwe’s cement shortages, a US$10,000 penalty is minimal. Observers note that Shuntai’s rejection of the fine as excessive sends a worrying signal about compliance with court orders and regulatory oversight.
The legal dispute traces back to February, when Bryden and the Chegutu community raised concerns over Shuntai’s plans to establish a cement plant, brick moulding facility, and limestone quarry 4.5 kilometres from Chegutu town.
At the time, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) fined the company for proceeding without the required Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), and local authorities confirmed that no approved plans existed.
Alarm over the project’s proximity to the school intensified after an aerial view showed the cement factory less than 500 metres from Bryden’s boundary, the quarry 360 metres away, and a connecting road just 60 metres from the school’s cross-country course.
Residents warned that dust from cement and limestone, along with noise from blasting and heavy machinery, posed direct health and environmental risks.
By comparison, other cement factories in Zimbabwe are located much further from towns and schools, including one 11 kilometres from Bulawayo in Matabeleland and another nearly 30 kilometres from Gweru in the Midlands.
While the Chegutu community acknowledged the potential benefits of the project, it stressed that economic development should not come at the expense of public health or legal compliance.
Shuntai’s decision to begin operations without approval and then contest the contempt ruling has intensified scrutiny of both investor practices and the effectiveness of Zimbabwe’s regulatory enforcement.
The Supreme Court has yet to set a date for the appeal hearing.
