MIDLANDS gold miner, Armstrong Mapanga, trading as Vansburg Drumgold Enterprising (Private) Limited, has taken government to court over the alleged irregular suspension of his two mining claims.
BY SILAS NKALA
In papers filed at the Bulawayo High Court on September 6, Mapanga said operations at his Dundrum North and Dundrum North 1 mining claims were recently suspended for no apparent reason by the Midlands provincial mines director.
He said the suspensions came shortly after the Mines ministry registered the claims as number 30371 and 30372 on July 12, allowing him to commence operations.
Mines minister Walter Chidakwa and top officials in the ministry were cited as respondents.
“Despite being undisputed lawful holder of the rights and interest of the mining claims, the first respondent, (provincial mining director) wrote to the applicant suspending mining operations on the basis that they were doing assessment.
The first respondent has no legal basis to suspend operations on the applicant’s mining claims,” Mapanga argued.
“It is against this background that the applicant seeks a declaration from this honourable court declaring the applicant as the legitimate holder of the rights and interests to and in Dundrum North and Dundrum North 1. Consequently, the applicant prays for an order declaring first respondent’s letter, dated July 18, 2016, suspending operations as flawed at law.”
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He pleaded with the court to nullify the suspension.
Chidakwa and his ministry are yet to respond to the application.
