The Sunday Mail
Theseus Shambare
SHAMVA town, located about 100 kilometres from Harare, is a living testimony of the impact of President Mnangagwa’s mantra of “leaving no one and no place behind”.
Three years ago, the once bustling mining settlement resembled a ghost town.
The closure of Shamva Gold Mine had left the town lifeless.
For decades, the mine was the heart and soul of the town.
It was the centre of all socio-economic activities.
However, the environment created by the Second Republic enabled Shamva Gold Mine to resume operations in 2021.
The town is now buzzing once again.
Kuvimba Mining House, an entity in which the Government has majority shareholding, managed to resuscitate operations at the mine and pledged to inject about US$180 million to make the entity one of the country’s top gold producers.
More than 1 200 people have since been employed, with both downstream and upstream industries also benefitting from the pleasant change in fortune.
Shamva South National Assembly Member of Parliament Cde Bramwell Bushu explained how the reopening of the mine breathed life back into the town.
“As it stands, the Shamva mine has employed more than 1 200 people. This means more families are directly depending on the mine. This has upstream and downstream benefits for thousands of other people, including businesses and service providers.
“When the mine was reopened, the buzz was immediately brought back into the town and business is now booming for several operators.”
He said illegal mining activities, which were linked to soaring crime rates and moral decadence in the area, have since gone underground.
“Mining is now well-organised and is contributing to the well-being of the town and country at large. The horror days of the past, when crime was now unbearable, are now behind us. We thank the President and Government for their wisdom to bring in investors for the mine,” he said.
“Kuvimba also engaged ZINWA (Zimbabwe National Water Authority) to work together on the Mazowe River for the supply of clean and safe water to residents in new suburbs like Tiperari, where there was no piped water.”
Mrs Rudairo Kamuju, a resident of Tiperari, expressed satisfaction with the progress brought by the reopening of the mine.
“After the reopening, the company made sure it upgraded all infrastructure for the workers who reside in our area. The mine embarked on road rehabilitation, improved our water supplies and installed street lights. The pace at which development is taking shape is almost unbelievable. This is commendable,” she said.
As the glory days are now back in Shamva, people in the area thanked the authorities for rescuing the town from the doldrums.
A transport operator, Mr Tawanda Gwenzi, explained how dire the situation had become, particularly in 2019.
“Wadzanai township, which is usually a hive of activity when things are normal, was almost dead. Instead of conducting several trips to Harare, we would only manage one. It was like there were no people. The popular pastime in the town was the chaotic plundering of gold,” he said.
Mr Tendai Matorera, who has now been employed at the mine, after having been an illegal gold panner, said notorious machete gangs had at one time virtually taken over the town, committing heinous crimes, including murder, armed robbery and theft.
“There was a barbaric scramble for gold. The town had become a jungle, with the fittest exploiting the weakest. When you thought luck was on your side as a gold panner, buyers would manipulate their way as they underpriced the gold.
“Even when you received that little money, criminals would pounce on you and rob you of the cash. The closure of the mine had left people without jobs. The violence was just horrendous. The gangs would move around wielding their machetes, bullying everyone.”
Another former illegal gold miner who asked not to be named said: “I know of many people who were killed in the scramble for gold. The machete gangs were ruthless. They would rob you of your gold. If you resisted, you would be killed. We really appreciate the efforts put in to revive the mine. Our young girls were easily turning to prostitution, while the only ambition young men had was to become illegal gold panners.”
During The Sunday Mail’s recent visit to Shamva, the town was a hive of activity.
Traders said they were experiencing brisk business.
The open space in Wadzanai township, once regarded as dead, is now alive.
It is now full of cars and traders who sell electrical gadgets, clothes, beverages and food.
“We are excited, my brother. We lost our jobs when the mine shut down, but its resuscitation brought back our livelihoods. I managed to save and buy a car due to my job at the mine,” said one of the Shamva Gold Mine workers, who only identified himself as Mhofu.
Ms Tariro Mwedzi, a single mother of three who operates as a beverages vendor, said: “When the mine shut down operations, I stopped selling and my children could not go to school. When the mine reopened, I started selling again. I can now send my kids to school.”
In 2019, Shamva Gold Mine, plagued by a myriad of challenges, chief among them capital flight, stopped production, rendering employees jobless.
