BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE RIO Zim Ltd has won a High Court challenge against 30 residents of Eiffel Flats in Kadoma who wanted the mining company to be barred from carrying out blasting activities close to their houses.
The company lawyer, Tawanda Zhuwarara yesterday told High Court judge Justice Joseph Mafusire that instead of stopping the blasting activities, the residents could be relocated to a safer place since Rio Zim had a licence to mine in the area.
Residents were represented by human rights lawyers Tawanda Chinopfukutwa and Paidamoyo Saurombe.
Justice Mafusire dismissed the residents’ application on a technicality, saying they had not cited the Environmental Management Agency and Mines ministry as respondents.
“This application cannot succeed as the applicants rely on the undertaking by the respondent to relocate them since they have abandoned that issue. The Mines ministry has also not been included as respondents,” Justice Mafusire ruled.
In their application, the residents sought an interdict compelling Rio Zim to relocate them to another area with structures of similar value.
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