Mourners gathered at the Mashonaland Central Provincial Heroes Acre on 5 June 2026 to bury liberation heroine Cde Concillia Gonzo have turned her funeral into a rallying ground, with women and youths vowing to intensify the fight for control of Botha Mine — a battle the late chairperson championed until her death.
For 24 years, she also held the position of Bindura District Chairperson, making her one of the most influential figures in the province.
Speaking on the sidelines of the burial, women miners described Gonzo as a "corner post" who refused to surrender their claims at Botha 1-4.
"We are not burying just a leader today. We are burying our voice at Botha Mine," said one woman miner who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation. "She fought until her last breath. Now the fight passes to us. We will not abandon what she died defending."
Youths who attended the funeral echoed the sentiment, vowing to resist exclusion from the gold-rich claims.
"They sidelined her because she stood for us. But we are many, and we have not forgotten," a youth representative said. "Botha Mine belongs to the community."
Documents seen by this publication show that Kitsiyatota was first registered as claim number 41158BM, measuring 31 hectares, in direct response to a plea by women and youths for access to mining opportunities. That claim was later converted into four gold blocks placed under Side Electrical, a company whose shareholding is now hotly disputed.
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In a letter dated February 27, 2025, addressed to the Provincial Mining Director and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Tariro Chidavaenzi — chairperson of the Zimbabwe Empowered Youths United in Major Economic Sectors Acceleration (ZEYUMESA) — requested urgent demarcation of the mining site known as Side Electrical Botha 1,2,3,4.
Chidavaenzi’s letter distances ZEYUMESA from the actions of one Themba Hlongani, who it alleges is fraudulently collecting lease fees from miners.
“Small scale miners being charged fraudulently USD20,000 as lease for mining Lease 21 of Freda Rebecca Mine,” the letter states.
The group explicitly warned that it wants no association with Hlongani’s financial dealings. “We do not want in future those paying to Themba Hlongani to claim their money from our side Side Electrical Botha Mine if complications arise in future. We do not want to be sued by small scale miners contracted by Lease 21 of Freda Rebecca Mine Themba Hlongani into courts if complications arise.”
According to the letter, Hlongani has been charging miners US$20,000 to operate within Lease 21 of Freda Rebecca Mine — without the leaseholder’s permission. ZEYUMESA is seeking to demarcate its own adjacent boundary to prevent future liability or legal action against it.
“We kindly notify you as Side Electrical Botha 1,2,3,4 that our mining site boundary is as indicated on our mining site map which shows beacons and coordinates,” the letter adds.
Chidavaenzi also disclosed pending litigation: “We are also notifying you that we have a pending case court application for condonation and rescission of order by consent Case No HCH587/25.”
