The Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) has issued a stern warning to unscrupulous chrome miners who have taken to violating legal mining rights under the cover of darkness, vowing to “name and shame” offenders as a way of defending legitimate small-scale miners.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Speaking during a hard-hitting plenary discussion at the Chamber of Mines Annual Mining Conference and Exhibition on Thursday, ZMF President Ms. Henrietta Rushwaya described the rise of unauthorised chrome mining operations—mostly carried out at night using heavy machinery—as a new cancer in the sector.
Her address came during the “Business of Gold” symposium sponsored by Kuvimba Mining House, and it set the tone for an urgent call to action.
“Minister, let me take this opportunity to bring to your attention the fact that I was very touched when the outgoing president of the Chamber alluded to the fact that small-scale miners should be accommodated and their issues attended to,” Rushwaya said. “Let me bring to this house the occasion of a new type of illegal small-scale miner who has come on board—those who come overnight and perform illegal mining in your areas. During the day, you find the illegal small-scale miner you are used to, who is just tilling your area—but at night, there are big trucks and excavators seen working illegally.”
She accused these actors, many operating with Chinese capital and local fronts, of not only stealing from registered miners but also tarnishing the image of small-scale mining through their rogue behaviour. In some cases, she said, mines with a projected lifespan of 10 years are being depleted in half that time because of aggressive nocturnal mining.
“These are not just illegal miners; they are criminal entrepreneurs exploiting the system, undermining our livelihoods, and destabilising our mining communities,” Rushwaya said. “They operate with impunity, bringing in trucks and excavators after sundown. By dawn, significant damage has already been done.”
Rushwaya noted that many of these operations have mushroomed in the chrome sector, where disputes over ownership, pegging, and production have been exacerbated by weak enforcement and corruption. She also took issue with how these groups have managed to blend into the small-scale mining community, giving the entire sector a bad name.
“It is unfortunate that we, as small-scale miners, continue to carry the label of ‘illegal miners’ while these sophisticated syndicates run operations on our claims at night. These are not artisanal miners using picks and shovels. These are well-resourced groups deliberately disrespecting our rights,” she added.
In response to this growing threat, ZMF is lobbying the government to allow the federation to take a more active role in identifying and exposing these perpetrators publicly. The federation believes that public exposure could serve as a deterrent and bring pressure on law enforcement and regulatory agencies to act.
“We are making a clarion call to the Minister to allow us to name and shame those new illegal miners who have overtaken us, stolen our identity, and caused a lot of damage,” Rushwaya declared.
The move comes amid growing frustration from registered miners across the country who are finding their operations encroached upon and exhausted by illegal miners operating in collusion with certain local officials and claim holders. Several cases have emerged where foreign-linked operations—especially involving Chinese syndicates—have been accused of bypassing local procedures and bribing their way into disputed claims.
Rushwaya emphasised that ZMF’s proposed name-and-shame initiative is not a witch-hunt but a protective measure for honest miners who are losing ground and confidence in the sector’s regulatory framework.
“We cannot continue to tolerate these night-time operations while legitimate miners are left fighting over scraps. Mines that should support families for a decade are now being looted in two to three years. If no one is willing to speak up, we as ZMF will,” she said.
The ZMF President also called for increased cooperation between the Ministry of Mines, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), the Zimbabwe Republic Police, and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority to ensure that only those complying with regulations are allowed to operate.
“If we are serious about formalisation, transparency, and value addition, we must protect our own,” she said. “Let this be the turning point.”
Her remarks were met with wide approval from delegates, especially from representatives of the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, who have long voiced concern about illicit activities eroding their income and threatening their legal standing.
The Chamber of Mines’ outgoing president, Thomas Gono, had earlier acknowledged the critical role of small-scale miners and the challenges they face, which include access to electricity, high operating costs, and a lack of modern equipment. Rushwaya’s call for accountability, therefore, landed in a room already primed for reform and action.
As Zimbabwe positions itself to achieve the ambitious goal of producing 100 tonnes of gold per annum and revitalising its chrome and lithium sectors, the issue of illegal mining, particularly under the cover of darkness, threatens to derail progress. ZMF’s bold stance signals a growing resolve within the sector to demand fairness, protection, and enforcement.
If allowed to proceed, the “name and shame” strategy could become a critical pillar in the fight against shadowy operations and could help reassert the legitimacy and dignity of Zimbabwe’s genuine small-scale mining community.
The message from Rushwaya was clear: the days of silence are over. Those exploiting the country’s resources unlawfully will now be held to account—publicly.
