Corruption at Midlands Provincial Director’s office a threat to national development
Kwekwe: The Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) has noted with grave concern the rampant nature of corruption and maladministration at the Midlands Provincial Mining Director (PMD)’s office.
The PMD’s office falls under the new Minister (Hon. Soda Zhemu), Deputy Minister (Hon. Polite Kambamura) and Permanent Secretary (Mr. Pfungwa Kunaka) of the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.
The office is accused of corruption and maladministration that threatens national development and the attainment of Zimbabwe’s vision 2030.
ACT-SA has from 2018 been receiving several reports that the PMD’s office was captured by some individuals, (including some political elites, rich miners, peggers etc.), who dictate how the office operates and how decisions are made.
In addition, there are reports of the existence of syndicates involving officials at the PMD’s office that snatch the poor and less-connected people’s mines. This corruption continues unabated and most of the time with impunity.
A secret visit by ACT-SA to the PMD’s office showed convincingly that some individuals walk in and out the PMD’s office disregarding the long queues at the PMD’s secretary.
They chat and laugh with the PMD for long hours whilst some poor miners and all those not paying bribes who would have travelled for long journeys from places as far as Gokwe North and Mberengwa wait and sometimes fail to see the PMD until the office closes.
Mr. Obert Chinhamo, the ACT-SA Director stated that members of the public are not happy with the PMD’s office which is accused of stinking corruption and maladministration.
“Based on corruption tip-offs and complaints that ACT-SA has been receiving over the years, we can conclude that the arrests previously witnessed targeting some PMDs constitute a ‘drop in an ocean’ since almost everyone at the Midlands PMD’s office is accused of corruption.
It is alleged that the entire PMD’s office feeds on corruption, and all those refusing to pay bribes suffer irreparable harm. Their applications take long to be processed. In some cases, rich mining claims are taken and given to all those who pay bribes.
Furthermore, registered peggers pay bribes to expedite processing of their clients’ applications. The office is in a messy. The new Minister, Hon. Soda Zhemu has a lot of work to do to clean the entire ministry,” he says
In its new report, ACT-SA states that the Midlands PMD’s office has been issuing fake mining licences, uses fake coordinates and supporting documents, neglects and/or ignores following laid down procedures, shelves applications by miners refusing to pay bribes, and takes away mines owned by the poor and all those resisting paying bribes.
Documents are sometimes lost and deliberately misplaced to punish all those refusing to pay bribes. In addition, the PMD’s office largely serves the interests of the political elite who have amassed vast mining claims for speculative purposes at the expense of some genuine miners who would have put them to good use. There are several individuals who have registered several claims where there are no mining activities.
Whilst there are several cases running into thousands country-wide, ACT-SA zoomed on few case studies that include:
-1- The case of Ingwenya 33 mine situated in the district of Kwekwe involving a tussle between Dr. Diamond Langa Chimuchembere and Mr. Chamunorwa Foroma in respect of Ingwenya 33 mine, shows that the coordinates used by the applicant and the PMD were incorrect and fabricated, the local authority (Zibagwe Rural District Council) did not give its consent, the plot occupier where the mine is situated was not consulted and did not give his consent, a fake confirmation letter from Vungu Rural District Council that has no jurisdiction for the area was used by the PMD’s office, fake letter from the Ministry of Lands that has been disowned by the Kwekwe District Lands officer was used and many more irregularities were observed.
-2- In the case of the Kings 10 mine (31749), the PMD’s office registered mines 23694 and another one, known as yellow snake when 31749 was current.
The owners of the two mines who pegged on top of 31749 boasted on being well connected to the PMD’s office and that no action would be taken against them.
-3- In the case of the Chemabhodho Mining Syndicate, PMD’s office connived with the mine’s sponsor to register to fast-track his registration regardless of the Syndicate having submitted an earlier application.
-4- Finally, the case of North Impaluli 20 (Reg No. 12337BM) and 21 (Registration Number 12339BM ) mines belonging to Mr. Mutsvangetsvange, PMD’s office registered another mine in favour of one Mr. Chipwanyira whilst the two mines were current, up to date and not owing anything to the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and other regulatory authorities.
For more enquiries contact us using the following details:
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Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA
Number 16, 2nd Avenue, Kwekwe, Zimbabwe
Tel: +26378 3011963,+263717152535
Email: actsouthernafrica@gmail.com
Website: www.anticorruptiontrust.org
