Mining firm demands access to gold ore

via Mining firm demands access to gold ore – DailyNews Live 19 July 2014 by Tendai Kamhungira

HARARE – A Shamva mining company is battling to recover its gold ore, claiming the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Parks) is denying it access to recover the mineral.

The company, Come Again Mines (Private) Limited has since filed a High Court application, seeking an order compelling Parks to allow it access to the gold ore.

In the application, the mining company has cited the director-general of National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, the minister of Environment and Natural Resources and the minister of Mines as respondents.

According to the company director Joseph Banda, the firm seeks to be granted access to its premises at Mfurudzi Safari, Shamva, where it holds several mining claims.

Banda claims that Parks is interfering with its mining operations in the area.

According to court papers, the mining claims are located on the boundary of the company’s land and that of Parks.

The court heard that Come Again has been working on the mine and produced approximately 50 tonnes of gold ore.

It is alleged that the officers from Parks have “unlawfully refused” to let Come Again remove its gold ore, threatening the company with force.

“The alleged basis of such refusal is a purported claim for unpaid levies which the warden at Mfurudzi has insisted that the Applicant owes to the first Respondent,” Banda told the court.

The mining company claims it is now losing the gold ore to illegal gold panners, as a result of Parks’ “unlawful conduct”.

Francis Nhema, the minister of Environment and Natural Resources said the application should be dismissed, while the Parks director-general Edson Chidziya described the request as fatally defective.

Chidziya said the company was entitled to make a payment in accordance with the law before carrying out its activities, since the land belongs to Parks.

“The Applicant and its representatives have refused and/or neglected to pay the prescribed fees and wish to carry on its mining activities without paying,” Chidziya said, adding that access will not be permitted without the company paying the required fees.

The matter will be back in court on Tuesday, before High Court Judge Priscillah Chigumba.