New twist to Chivi gems saga
A NEW twist has emerged in the discovery of rich diamond deposits in Sese communal lands in Chivi, amid reports the mineral, which covers nearly 3 000 hectares, was found on mining claims owned by RioZim Limited.
RioZim owns Murowa Diamond Mine in neighbouring Zvishavane district, with mining experts speculating that the belt of diamond bearing the kimberlite pipes stretched from the district to Chivi’s Sese area.
Revelations that the Sese and Shavahuru diamond claims in Chivi are owned by RioZim comes amid allegations that the firm has been sitting on the mineral for close to two decades, without making any effort to exploit the gems for the socio-economic development of Chivi and the nation at large.
Reports of the presence of diamond-rich kimberlite pipes in Chivi recently have led to a scramble by both local and foreign investors to the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs Josaya Hungwe’s offices, making inquiries about the gems.
But the fresh revelations on the claim have indicated that RioZim has allegedly been sitting on the Sese diamond claims since 2000.
It also emerged that Chivi Rural District Council petitioned the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development in February 2015 over the company’s failure to develop the claims and pay mining levy to the local authority.
Chivi RDC argued that RioZim’s failure to exploit the Sese diamond claims was costing the country millions of dollars in foreign currency that could be earned through gem exports.
RioZim also stands accused of failing to pay annual mining levy for the Sese claims since 2006.
Chivi RDC petitioned the Mines ministry after Sese Resources, a consortium of local and foreign investors, through its managing director, Mr Rodrick Mumbire, had appealed to the same ministry seeking Government’s nod for the company to exploit the idle Sese and Shavahuru diamond claims.
In its letter to the then Mines and Mining Development permanent secretary Professor Francis Gudyanga dated February 26 2015, Chivi RDC, through its environmental officer Mr Clever Mututuvari expressed the local authority’s disappointment over RioZim’s failure to exploit the Sese claims.
“The local authority is greatly disappointed by RioZimbabwe diamond company’s failure to pay our annual levies dating back to 2006 up to date in accordance with Section 255 of the Mines and Mineral Act Chapter 21:05 and our local authority statutes,” he said.
“We have tried to engage them since 2006 with no success. We understand RioZimbabwe is just sitting on the above mining claims spanning over 2 000ha of diamond reserves since the year 2000.
“As the local authority of the area we are worried as this is tantamount to speculation and there might be other serious mining companies interested in developing this important mineral.’’
Mr Mututuvari said failure to exploit the Sese diamond claims was frustrating Government’s efforts to meet some of its ZimAsset goals.
Chivi RDC chief executive Mr Tariro Matavire confirmed the Sese claims were owned by RioZim which seemed to have failed to develop them.
“They have not been paying development levy to council and they only paid council once in 2006 when they wanted us to facilitate the change of ownership of the Sese claims from Rio Tinto’s hands into RioZim Limited,’’ said Mr Matavire.
RioZim Limited is a Zimbabwean firm formed in 2004 after separating from Rio Tinto plc.
While no comment could be obtained from RioZim over the Sese diamond claims, Mr Mumbire also wrote to Prof Gudyanga in March 2015 seeking the nod to exploit the idle mineral resource in Chivi.
In his letter, that was officially stamped by Prof Gudyanga’s office confirming receipt on March 3 2015, Mr Mumbire said Sese Resources was ready to exploit the idle diamond claims.
“Our company is interested in mining and developing the above diamond claims (1279-1478PS RioZim-Masvingo Mining District) which were registered in the year 2000 and have not been exploited to date,” he said.
“We are ready and keen to be assessed prior to granting of the mining claims. It is our humble submission that the Minister (of Mines and Mining Development) through your good office invokes Section 400 of the Mines and Minerals Act Chapter 21:05 to RioZim over its failure to develop these deposits within a reasonable period.”
Sources familiar with the issue said Mr Mumbire’s request was never considered, amid allegations that he was perceived to be politically incorrect.
Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Senator Josaya Hungwe said Government wanted the Sese diamond claims to be immediately exploited for the benefit of the country’s economy.
“We do not know that the claims at Sese are owned by anyone, let the owners come forward and tell us their story,” he said. “We need to know if the owners are there and also why they have not been mining.
“At the moment we are prepared to listen to serious investors. The claims belong to Government and we can give them to serious investors.’’
Senator Hungwe said over the past few days, his office had been overwhelmed by investors willing to exploit the Sese claims, adding that Government would not hesitate to re-allocate the Sese resource to new serious investors.