Kadoma — Russell Goreraza — First Lady Grace Mugabe’s son — is alleged to have forcefully entered the disputed gold-rich Tolrose Mine under the control of businessman Jameson Rushwaya last Thursday evening and taken processed gold worth $25 000.
BLESSED MHLANGA
He has since been reported to the police for trespassing and theft.
The mine has been at the centre of a protracted legal battle over ownership between Rushwaya and businessman Patterson Timba.
Contacted for comment on Saturday, Goreraza refused to speak to the media over the mine takeover.
Goreraza is alleged to have gone to the mine in the company of 15 youths and former mine workers clad in Zanu PF regalia around 5pm and taken over control of mining operations, including an estimated 500 grammes of gold worth $25 000.
Rushwaya’s spokesperson and Tolrose Mine human resources manager Shame Chimusaru told NewsDay over the weekend that Goreraza scaled security fencing to gain access into locked stamp mill premises before destroying locks.
“He came with a gang of almost 15 people in party regalia and climbed over the fence to get to the stamp mills which had been running for eight hours. He broke down locks to the gold separators and took the gold which had gathered there,” he said.
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Chimusaru said the company estimates that Goreraza — who has now taken to sleeping at the mine — could have taken over 500g of gold concentrate from the separators. “On average after running the mills for that long, we get 500g of gold or slightly more,” he said.
He said despite reporting the invasion and alleged theft of gold to the police, no action had been taken.
“At the moment we are trying to get audience with the First Lady because Goreraza claims she is backing the takeover. That’s the only option we have at the moment because the police have failed to act,” he said.
Workers at the mine said they were now taking orders from Goreraza after Rushwaya was displaced from the mine.
“All operations are progressing smoothly. Save for the fact that we have new management led by a new owner, nothing has changed for us,” said a worker who refused to be named.
Management which was loyal to Rushwaya was on Saturday morning reportedly barred from entering offices or mine premises by security manning the mine entrance.
Mashonaland West police spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara referred questions about developments at the mine to national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, but her cellphone rang unanswered.
“I cannot comment on the matter, please talk to national spokesperson,” he said. Early this month NewsDay reported that Goreraza had been sucked into a wrangle over ownership of the mine after buying shares from one of the mine’s warring parties, Timba.
Timba — through his company Swimming Pool and Underwater Repair Company (Pvt) Ltd — allegedly sold his shares to Goreraza for an undisclosed fee.
“This letter serves to confirm that Swimming Pool & Underwater Repair Company (Pvt) Ltd has sold its interests in Tolrose Investments (Pvt) Ltd (Glencain Mine) in Eiffel Flats, Kadoma, to Boulware Consulting (Pvt) Ltd as of April 24,” reads part of the letter Gorerazara reportedly handed to the workers’ union officials and to Rushwaya when he first visited the mine early this month.
