THE Bulawayo High Court has ordered the immediate eviction of illegal miners from a Midlands gold claim after granting an urgent interdict in favour of the registered owner.
Justice Naison Chivayo ruled on February 20 that Marble Mpofu and her associates must vacate the Aurora 31 mining claim and cease all mining activities within 72 hours, failing which the Sheriff of the High Court, with police assistance, would enforce the eviction.
The mining company had filed an urgent chamber application on November 5, 2025, seeking to interdict Mpofu from illegally occupying and extracting gold ore from its registered claim.
The provincial mining director, Mines minister and the police were cited as respondents.
In his ruling, Chivayo granted interim relief, ordering Mpofu and her agents to immediately stop mining and processing any gold ore or dump material from the site.
“The first respondent must leave the mining site and any minerals in whatever form within 72 hours under the supervision of the sheriff of the High Court of Zimbabwe, with assistance from the police,” the judge ruled.
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Court documents revealed that Chauke Mbange Ndangariro, represented by chief executive Rangani Chauke, is the registered holder of mining rights for Aurora 31.
The company submitted that Mpofu had been conducting illegal mining activities without a certificate of registration or a tribute agreement.
The matter had previously been heard by the provincial mining director, who ruled on October 23, 2025, that the mine was registered in the applicant’s name and that Mpofu had no legal authority to conduct mining activities there.
In granting the order, Chivayo noted that the applicant had established a prima facie right to the mine through its certificate of registration, which was not challenged.
He agreed that the matter was urgent, stating that gold is “a finite resource that may be depleted if the ordinary course of action is followed.”