FOREIGN investor Forbes and Thompson (Pvt) Ltd has filed an urgent application at the High Court in Bulawayo, seeking a spoliation order against several Zanu PF leaders in Matabeleland South over the alleged illegal invasion of its gold mining claims.
According to the application, the illegal miners were being led by the local Zanu PF legislator Moses Langa and party members, including Madodana Sibanda, Raison Mutengeni, Aldonia Gondo, Takeson Moyo and Alot Ndlovu.
The Mines and Mining Development ministry is also cited as a respondent.
According to an affidavit signed by security manager Musa Amido, the group invaded the company’s mining location, depriving the investor of peaceful and undisturbed possession. The company is asking the court to direct the respondents to restore possession of Mining Lease 16, which includes Vumbachigwe Mine and to authorise the Sheriff and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to remove them if they refuse.
Forbes and Thompson have held Mining Lease No 16 since July 26, 1983, under the Mines and Minerals Act of 1964. The lease, originally covering 1,036 hectares, was consolidated in 1992 and later expanded in 2005 to approximately 1,678 hectares, incorporating multiple registered mining locations, including Long John Kopje, Magana DB, Lady Lina, Banshee, Tortoise, Champion and
Sablevale.
The applicant submitted that in 1992, the mining commissioner confirmed the consolidation of Mining Lease No 16, formalising efforts to streamline operations under a single title and the administrative step reinforced the company’s legal standing and operational coherence.
Over four decades, the company maintained its administrative hub in Gwanda, complied with regulatory requirements and developed infrastructure such as dumpsites and servitudes across the leased area.
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Despite this long-standing lawful presence, Forbes and Thompson allege that on January 17, 2026, unauthorised machinery was reported in the Sweet Waters area of the mine. Efforts to stop the illegal activity on January 18 reportedly failed, even after the intervention of security personnel.
The investor engaged ZRP, but the situation reportedly escalated on January 19 when their security, together with ZRP, approached the site at Central Shaft turn off to intervene and they were met with resistance from the illegal miners who repelled the lawful police operation.
After repelling the lawful police operation, the invasion was formalised and publicly declared on January 19.
Langa and Gondo, who are alleged to be State security officials, addressed more than 200 people, who claimed to be Zanu PF youths, at the Central Shaft turnoff.
He proclaimed that the area had been forcibly taken over and assured all present of immunity from arrest, as their actions had the blessings from high above, as they had been given the greenlight by the Mines ministry and officials from the Zanu PF
headquarters.
The investor submitted that, emboldened by this, grandstanding and name-dropping, the illegal occupation has rapidly expanded and has become structured.
They said the invaders have introduced a register for panners, and they have declared that they will fence the area.
It is alleged that the respondents are actively mining at Magano Shaft within the applicant’s mine location.
They further submitted that to counter the lawlessness, they filed a police report with the Gwanda Rural District Council, but despite these efforts, the scale of the invasion and the overt claims of political protection have paralysed effective official action.
The matter is pending.
