Rio Zim Interdicted By Kadoma Residents

By Shingirai Vambe

HARARE- Zimbabwe Lawyers For Human Rights (ZLHR) has today March 11 2021 filed an application for interdiction at the High Court against Rio Zimbabwe (RIO ZIM) for the people of Kadoma living at eiffel flats.

In the attached affidavit filed at the High Court by ZHLR applicants in the matter have interdicted the long time gold mining and refinery company, Cam and Motor for operating until their demands have been met.

“This is an application for an interdict prohibiting the Respondent from carrying out blasting activities at its Cam and Motor Mine in Kadoma until me and the other Applicants in this matter have been relocated”.

“Furthermore, through the present application, we also seek an interdict compelling the Respondent to relocate us to another safer and cleaner residential area which has housing amenities of similar value and utility to our houses before they were extensively damaged by the mining activities of the Respondent”.

Applicants in this matter told Post On Sunday that their lives is that of living in fear of the mining activities and blasting which are damaging their houses and property.

They also highlighted smoke from the mine and dust being hazardous to their health, causing a lot of incurable diseases.

Mind Masuko who has been representing residents of eiffel flats told this publication that several houses have cracked because of blastings at the mine which is a stone throw aways from their houses.

“Stones from the mine fly all the way to the roof tops, and one recorded incident, a big stone passed through the roof and damaged another resident’s sofa and room divider and was never compensated”

“Each time they conduct the blast we are asked to go outside the houses until they finish in fear that a house maybe raised down by the traumatic movement of the ground”added Masuko

He bemoaned the situation to those with disabilities who are not able to live their homes.

ZHLR has however intervened to the rescue of the eiffel flats residents and filed the interdict and served copies reads,

“Order in terms of the Draft Order annexed to this notice and that the accompanying affidavit and documents will be used in support of the application.

If you intend to oppose this application you will have to file a Notice of Opposition in Form No. 29A, together with one or more opposing affidavits, with the Registrar of the High Court at Harare within 10 days after the date on which this Notice was served upon you”.

Rio Zim is one of the oldest and largest gold mining and refinery company in Zimbabwe and has not been spared by challenges in the mining and financial sectors and that of government policy inconsistency.