Sources said the community had been incensed by Goreraza’s alleged ill-treatment of workers and community members.
Despite taking gold ore for processing over many months, Goreraza is reported to be failing to pay the workers who seem to have mobilised fellow community members to eject him from Tolrose which he invaded in October 2013.
Several community members who talked to The Zimbabwean by phone said they were fed up with Goreraza.
“He must just go back from wherever he came. He treats us and our relatives on the mine like slaves and animals yet he invaded the mine. I am sure his mother does not like what he is doing but she should have stopped him,” said one of the members who gave his name as Peter. He alleged that Goreraza beat up workers who worked on the mine if they asked for their money, and said he was abusing alcohol.
Smuggling gold
Another community member claimed Goreraza was smuggling the gold out of the country instead of selling it to Fidelity Printers as required by the law. The legitimate owner of the multi-million dollar mine, Jameson Rushwaya, a geologist, confirmed that the community invaded Tolrose some two weeks ago and threatened to beat up Goreraza and his accomplices who comprise mainly illegal miners and bouncers.
They have since retreated but tension remains high. “People from neighbouring areas seem to be getting impatient with Russell. They have threatened to take the law into their hands if the young man does not move out.
This is a long standing issue which has dragged on for so long because Russell is always telling people that he is untouchable because he is the First Lady’s son.
Stealing property
I have been struggling to get the police and other relevant authorities to act so that I get back my mine but they say the issue is too hot for them,” said Rushwaya.
Before the 2013 invasion, said Rushwaya, the mine was employing around 500 people and “the figure could have gone up to 1,000 plus now if this guy did not invade my business”.
He said the mine had well developed underground mining infrastructure and modern equipment that included powerful generators, compressors and jack hammers that Goreraza had forcefully taken over while his sidekicks were stealing some of the property.
“People in this community are crying. They compare the period when things worked well before the invasion and now and say they must be employed by a paying company,” said Rushwaya.
He is the rightful owner of the mine following a Supreme Court that ruled in his favour in a wrangle with erstwhile partner, Patterson Timba, the former FML chief executive officer.
There was a shooting incident on the mine three years ago which resulted in one death and multiple serious injuries over the ownership wrangle between Rushwaya and Timba. Goreraza invaded the mine soon after Timba lost the case but it is not clear if the two colluded in the invasion.
Little mining is taking place on the mine that Rushwaya said must be among the top five gold producers in Zimbabwe. Goreraza could not be reached for a comment and the police public relations section was not picking up landline calls as national spokesperson, Charity Charamba was not reachable.
Post published in: Mining