A gang of so called, Miners4ED, has invaded Ascot Gold Mine, the local MP Temba Mliswa laments in the below letter to the police:
Dear Commissioner-General Matanga,
RE: LETTER OF CONCERN AND REQUEST FOR URGENT INTERVENTION AND
INVESTIGATION – ASCOT GOLD MINE, NORTON
The above refers.
Commissioner-General, Sir, I hereby lodge, in my capacity as the duly elected Member of Parliament for Norton Constituency, this letter of concern and request for intervention and investigation to be instituted into Ascot Gold Mine in Norton, Mashonaland West.
In my mandated role of legislation, and particularly that of representation and oversight in this instance, and further at the behest of the Norton Miners Association, acting on behalf of one Mr. Gomwe, both herein copied, I fervently appeal for your urgent intervention at the aforementioned gold mine to prevent any further loss of life, injustice and corrupt practices from prevailing.
The bane of the matter as has been presented and understood is summarised and captured as follows:
1. Ascot Gold Mine is duly registered with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development under Kingross Investments (Pvt) Ltd and run by Mr. Gomwe.
2. However, an insurgent group of individuals under the guise of ZANU-PF’s Miners4ED claim to be in possession of a tribute agreement pertaining to the mine, and have illegally taken it over. Such agreement is put to the strictest proof thereof. This same group are alleged to engage in abusing the name of ZANUPF and His Excellency, President E. D. Mnangagwa for self-aggrandisement, an abhorrent practice which should be nipped in the bud.
3. A one Mr. Timothy Masviba (ZANUPF Provincial Youth member from Chegutu) and another Mr. Edmore Mamoyo (ZANUPF Youth League member and gold sponsor) are alleged to be at the forefront of the shenanigans leading to the illegal takeover of the Mine.
4. Others also implicated in the illegal mine takeover are as follows:
i. Nhimbe (C.I.D. Norton)
ii. Msipa (C.I.D. Norton MFFU)
iii. Jona Nsingo (ZANUPF Youth Chairperson & Forever Associates of
Zimbabwe FAZ member) iv. Edina Zambe (ZANU-PF Youth member)
v. Tapiwa Mukewa (ZANUPF Youth Chairperson)
vi. Tapiwa Cephas (ZANUPF Youth Chairperson & FAZ member)
vii. Munyaradzi Matangira (ZANU-PF Youth)
viii. Emmerson Denga (ZANU-PF Youth Chairperson)
ix. Moyenda Maseko (ZANU-PF Youth Chairperson)
x. Kelvin Chinhongo (ZANU-PF Youth Chairperson/ZNA)
xi. Reuben Erissa (ZANUPF Youth Chairperson)
xii. P. Matangira (ZANUPF Youth Chairperson/ZNA)
xiii. P. Jambaya (ZANUPF Youth Chairperson) xiv. C. Masiye (ZANUPF Youth Chairperson)
xv. Sam (Gold Buyer)
5. Of extreme concern to note in the above list and attached picture, is the presence of members of the police force who have further been captured on camera engaged in political party sloganeering.
6. Despite the existence of a letter to Ascot Gold Mine issued on the 8th December 2021 by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development suspending all mining operations on Ascot Gold Mine pending an investigation into a fatal accident which occurred on the mine, the aforementioned group of people have continued with their illegal mining operations on the mine which are often carried on at night. Since this suspension, another suspicious fatality, that of Kelvin Bheza again occurred on the 14th December 2022.
7. This illegal mining activity is in flagrant violation of not only the illegal possession of the mine, but further violates the suspension handed down by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.
8. Not only have these illegal miners disregarded the suspension, but they have further gone on to contravene mining regulations by illegally removing gold ore from the mine without the requisite ore removal permit.
9. Furthermore, the gold illegally processed at a gold processing plant owned by Mr. Mamoyo is alleged not to be being sold to Fidelity Printers and Refiners as per statutory requirement.
10. On the 6th February 2023, another fatality, that of Patrick Gondo, a suspected murder was committed on the mine. The aforementioned illegal miners are alleged to be involved in this case.
11. Furthermore, it is alleged that despite electricity supplies being disconnected at the mine for non-account payment, the electricity supply was illegally reconnected by those illegally operating the mine.
12. What to note is further most concerning is it seems that despite reports being made to the police regarding the criminalities occurring at the mine, no moves have been made to cease the illegal mining activities or institute an investigation into the accusations. This surprising lack of action subsequently gives rise to the obvious suspicion that corruption is being committed between the illegal miners and certain members of the police force.
These matters pertaining to Ascot Mine have been prevailing with impunity for a prolonged period, (see attached Legal Compliance Report dated 9 February 2021). The police should not hide behind the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development in carrying out their mandate.
It is ZRP’s role to implement the directive from the Ministry of Mines and Mining
Development and to protect people’s rights. The alleged tribute agreement should be null and void as they claim it was entered into during the period when the mine had ceased operations as directed by the Mines Ministry.
It is recommended that a lifestyle audit of Mr. Timothy Masviba be conducted, which would likely ascertain that his new found wealth has been gained from the illegal mining activities.
I therefore look forward to hearing from you and for your swift intervention so that sanity may prevail.
Norton Constituency
CC:
• Hon. R. Kazembe Kazembe – Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage
• Hon. O. C. Z. Muchinguri- Kashiri – Minister of Defence and War Veterans’ Affairs
• Hon. W. Chitando – Minister of Mines and Mining Development
• Hon. Ziyambi Ziyambi – Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
• Hon. M. Mliswa-Chikoka – Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mashonaland West
• Hon. P. Kambamura – Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development
• Hon. Senator B. Tsomondo – Senator, Chegutu District
• General P. V. Sibanda – Commander of the Defence Forces of Zimbabwe
• Lieutenant-General D. Sigauke – Commander, Zimbabwe National Army
• Air Marshal E. Moyo – Chief, Air Force of Zimbabwe
• Director-General I. Moyo – Director-General Central Intelligence Organisation • National JOC
• Deputy Commissioner-General S. Mutamba – ZRP Deputy Commissioner-General (Administration)
• Deputy Commissioner-General M. E. Ngirandi – ZRP Deputy Commissioner-General (Human Resources)
• Deputy Commissioner-General L. Ncube – ZRP Deputy Commissioner-General (Operations)
• Deputy Commissioner-General L. Chipato – ZRP Deputy Commissioner-General (Crime)
• Commissioner C. Dube – Officer Commanding Mashonaland West Province
• Chief Superintendent Mbedzi – Officer Commanding Manyame
• Dr. G. Gwinji – Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage
• Mr Aaron Nhepera – Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence and War Veterans’ Affairs
• Mr. P. Kunaka – Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Mining Development
• Mrs. V. Mabhiza – Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
• Mr. Tawa – Principle Director, Ministry of Mines and Mining Development
• Acting Provincial Mining Director, Mashonaland West
• Mr. Paradza – Secretary General, Norton Miners Association
• Mr. Gomwe – Kingross Investments (Pvt) Ltd t/a Ascot Gold Mine