The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development was denied entry into Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) during a fact-finding mission on Thursday, prompting Committee Chairman Hon. Remigious Matangira to threaten to escalate the matter to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The Committee arrived at the coal mining giant’s premises only to be turned away on the grounds that the company had not received prior notification of the visit. However, Committee members and an inspector from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development insist that HCCL Holdings had been fully apprised of the planned visit.
“We Are Not Witch Hunting” – Mapfumo
Hon. Farai Mapfumo expressed disappointment at the treatment the Committee received, emphasising the constitutional importance of their mandate.
“It’s very disappointing what has happened here. What the Ministry and Hwange need to know is that these visits are not for witch-hunting,” Mapfumo stated. “There is a lot of pollution going on here. It needs to be accountable. Electricity: there are other Chinese companies working with Hwange. How is the relationship? We came here using public funds.”
Mapfumo stressed that the Committee’s visit was a legitimate parliamentary duty to scrutinise environmental concerns, operational relationships, and the use of public resources.
“If You Don’t Want Us, You Are Hiding Something” – Matangira
Committee Chairman Matangira minced no words about what he described as a constitutional breach.
“As Parliament, our role is to play oversight. As the community of Mines and Mining Development, we are visiting Hwange Colliery to know what they are doing in light of understanding that the company has been on an upward trajectory,” Matangira explained.
“Hwange Colliery is mining coal to enable power. We have arrived here early, and the management tells the committee that they were not told of our visit and decided to let us go,” he added. “The oversight is not fighting but to see how. We are not happy. The next stage is we will seek the President, HE Mnangagwa. If you don’t want the committee to visit you, you will be hiding something.”
Matangira revealed that proper notification had been given: “A letter confirming our visit is sitting with the Permanent Secretary in the Mines Ministry, yet the Deputy Minister responsible for Energy Minerals is not aware. The letter has also reached Hwange Colliery. We are being denied [the opportunity] to do our work.”
Environmental and Governance Concerns
Matangira further elaborated on the Committee’s concerns, noting that oversight is essential for the nation’s development. He observed that pollution in the Hwange area affects not only the environment but also the health of surrounding communities. He emphasised that coal mining operations must be accountable to the people of Zimbabwe.
The Chairman also highlighted the importance of understanding the relationship between HCCL and Chinese companies operating in the area. He noted that transparency in these partnerships is crucial for ensuring that national resources benefit Zimbabweans.
Matangira pointed to broader governance issues at HCCL, referencing the company’s recent revelation that it is considering selling the town of Hwange for US$300 million to address mounting debt and salary arrears dating back five years. Board member Ntombizodwa Masuku had previously told Parliament that the company is “bedevilled with a lot of challenges in terms of maintaining the town’s infrastructure, water infrastructure and roads”.
The Chairman noted that approximately 20,000 residents in the Hwange Concession area are caught in a governance puzzle where they are administratively under Hwange RDC but politically represented by councillors serving the Hwange Local Board.
Constitutional Basis of Parliamentary Oversight
Matangira emphasised that parliamentary oversight is a constitutional obligation. Section 119 of Zimbabwe’s Constitution provides for oversight over government institutions, and HCCL’s status as a public entity makes it subject to this scrutiny.
The Chairman stressed that with HCCL targeting 300,000 tonnes of coal production per month and investing US$3.5 million in new equipment, understanding operational challenges is vital for the nation’s energy security.
Matangira said the blocking of the Committee is a test of Zimbabwe’s commitment to transparency and accountability in its most vital economic sector. His threatened escalation to President Mnangagwa suggests the matter is far from over.
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