Tsvingwe, Mutasa District — February 2026
Residents of Tsvingwe are in shock as illegal mining activities intensify at Chimonyo Mountain, threatening both livelihoods and critical infrastructure. The mountain, which houses the water tanks supplying Tsvingwe with clean water, is being demolished to make way for mining operations. Families fear that the destruction of this vital hill will leave the community without reliable water, exposing them to disease and hardship.
Community members report that crops have already been ploughed down to clear land for mining, leaving women and families without food security or income. For households that depend on farming and vending, this represents an immediate loss of survival. The destruction of farmland is compounding the crisis, as families lose both their means of livelihood and access to safe water.
Local reports have linked the mining activities to individuals such as Farai Chimonyo, who is believed to own operations in the area. Civil society groups have previously raised alarm over Chimonyo’s involvement in illegal mining around Penhalonga, including at the Christmas Pass Mountain Range, where Chinese investors were also implicated. Despite government orders to halt unregulated mining, operations reportedly continue at night, raising fears of mudslides and environmental collapse.
Residents describe the miners as “merchants of death and destruction,” warning that the demolition of Chimonyo Mountain will devastate Tsvingwe’s water supply and destroy the community’s future. The presence of groups known locally as “The Thursdays” has been noted on site, intensifying concerns about organized involvement in the destruction.
The Zivai Community Empowerment Trust (ZCET) has stepped forward to defend affected families, emphasizing that women and children are bearing the brunt of the crisis. ZCET argues that the destruction of farmland and water infrastructure is not development but dispossession, stripping women of their livelihoods and disrupting children’s education. “This is a direct attack on community survival. Women are losing their crops, children are losing their classrooms, and families are losing their water. We cannot allow profit to come before life,” said a ZCET representative.
Residents are demanding urgent intervention from authorities and accountability from those involved, including companies and individuals linked to Chinese mining interests. They insist that mining activities must be halted immediately to protect water supplies, farmland, and the future of Tsvingwe’s children.
As the crisis deepens, Tsvingwe stands at a crossroads: either authorities act to stop the destruction and safeguard community rights, or risk igniting a humanitarian and environmental disaster in the name of gold.