Some ZANU PF big spenders lost to the opposition in last week’s Harmonised General elections in a development that political analysts said shows that the urban electorate cannot be bought by temporary trinkets that do not positively impact their livelihoods, reported <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/thestandard/news/article/200015864/voters-reject-zanu-pfs-big-spenders">The Standard</a>.
ZANU PF’s big spenders who lost in the recent elections include gold dealer Pedzisai “Scott” Sakupwanya and the former Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube.
Sakupwanya lost to CCC’s Febion Kufahakutizwi in the Mabvuku-Tafara constituency in Harare.
The gold dealer garnered 12 038 votes against the winner Kufahakutizwi who polled 15 934 votes.
That was despite the fact that the former Mabvuku councillor spent a lot of money rehabilitating roads in the constituency and also brought the former American boxer, Floyd Mayweather to entertain residents.
Ncube lost the battle for Cowdray Park in Bulawayo to CCC’s Pashor Raphael Sibanda (28).
Ncube also reportedly spent a lot of money on development projects in the constituency.
In other parts of the country, some ZANU PF candidates drilled boreholes and dished out freebies, such as fried chicken and chips, mineral water, and soft drinks, for votes.
Stephen Chan, a professor of world politics at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, said:
<blockquote>
They will take the “chicken and chips”, but not necessarily vote for the big spender.
In Ncube’s case, everyone knows he was the minister of Finance, who presided over the economic erosion that has so severely damaged their lives.
</blockquote>
Southern Africa Programme Head for the Institute for Security Studies southern Africa programme head, Piers Pigou, said:
<blockquote>
In many respects, in areas where this has happened, it reflects one level of sophistication from the local electorate in the context of their needs that they will be prepared to accept whatever gifts or trinkets are on offer but not shift their political needs.
</blockquote>
Witwatersrand University-based political analyst Romeo Chasara said:
<blockquote>
Urban voters tend to vote for the main opposition political party with little regard for its representatives, especially at local and constituency levels.
Throughout the campaign period, supporters were encouraged to attend ZANU PF rallies and accept all that was being offered including regalia but to punish it in the ballot box.
</blockquote>
ZANU PF reportedly a huge budget for the 2023 elections, with one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s allies Uebert Angel telling undercover Al Jazeera journalists in “Gold Mafia” that the ruling party had US$240 million for the polls.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

ZANU PF Big Spenders Lose To CCC Candidates

American boxing promoter and former professional boxer, Floyd Mayweather Jr, landed in Harare Zimbabwe on Thursday.
Mayweather Jr’s private jet touched down at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on Thursday morning.
He is in Zimbabwe for a three-day visit dubbed “The Motherland Tour”.
Mayweather is coming at the invitation of businessman and ZANU PF aspiring candidate for Mabvuku constituency, <a href="https://pindula.co.zw/Pedzai_Sakupwanya">Pedzisayi “Scott” Sakupwanya</a>.
<a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/hosts-finally-release-full-programme-of-mayweathers-zim-tour/">The Herald</a> reported that tour hosts said proceedings at Number 1 Grounds in Mabvuku, the venue for the main activities, will commence at 10 AM Thursday.
Mayweather then wraps up his tour with an event specifically for the invited that is slated for the Meikles Hotel in the evening.
Mayweather had a meeting with Sakupwanya in the United Arab Emirates in May 2022.
The boxing legend was there for an exhibition fight that was ultimately cancelled and Sakupwanya was on a business trip.
Commenting on Mayweather’s visit at Sakupwanya’s invitation, award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono said Zimbabweans are being taken advantage of due to their poverty. <a href="https://twitter.com/daddyhope/status/1679394158581108736?s=20">He said</a>:
<blockquote>
This only happens in a Banana Republic where citizens are taken advantage of and expected to celebrate their misery and assumed to be non-thinkers.
Only fools would celebrate people who plunder the country’s natural resources and bring American boxers paying them millions whilst hospitals have no medication, no radiotherapy cancer treatment machines, no clean drinking water and citizens are dying from cholera, 95% unemployment, hyperinflation, potholed roads, no books in schools, discredited currency, opposition politicians in jail and more!
Remember that 2500 women die every year giving birth because there are no maternity theaters.
Remember that the biggest hospital only has ONE maternity theater built by Ian Smith in 1977.
Remember that many Zimbabweans are going to bed on empty stomachs.
Remember that all these things could be fixed if the Gold was not being plundered by a few.
We have really been turned into a Banana Republic, let us see who are the Banana clowns amongst us who will fall for this tragic gimmick!
Imagine how the rest of the world views us and laugh at us!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

American Boxing Legend Floyd Mayweather Jr Visits Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean businessman and alleged gold smuggler Ewan Macmillan says he is done bribing politicians to smuggle gold out of the country.
Macmillan (aka Mr. Gold) was featured in the final episode of the Gold Mafia Al Jazeera documentary titled “Have The King With You” released on Friday, 14 April.
Speaking to the undercover journalists who posed as Chinese gangsters who wanted to wash dirty money, Macmillan said:
<blockquote>
I will never go down that road again. You pay, you pay, you pay, you pay and you pay.
And you think this is so much money. Why am I paying this much money?
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Ambassador at Large and Presidential Envoy to Europe and the Americas, Uebert Angel, was also filmed by Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit (I-Unit) deriding Macmillan, saying he was no longer “Mr. Gold” and had been overtaken by his former employee Pedzisai “Scott” Sakupwanya.
Angel also showed the reporters pictures of Sakupwanya flaunting his US$5 million cash and some gold bars on 29 June 2020. He said:
<blockquote>
He is the biggest gold guy in Zimbabwe. He’s right there, he’s in his house, sleeping on five million U.S. dollars.
This guy used to clean MacMillan’s car. Macmillan was the one that this one worked for. It’s good we know it’s Macmillan.
Macmillan doesn’t control nothing. This was his worker cleaning his car. He is the number one now in Zimbabwe.
Scott is number one. Number one without a doubt. We can just call him right now.
</blockquote>
Angel then called Sakupwanya in the presence of the undercover reporters. He said:
<blockquote>
So I’ve got some good investors for you here. They are hearing you already. From January, what have you gotten right now? What have you sold?
</blockquote>
Scott said he had sold six tonnes of gold in 10 months. When Angel asked about what happens when someone invests with him, Sakupwanya said:
<blockquote>
I guess I can take ten percent per month.
</blockquote>
He said if he gets cash from someone, he gives them ten percent per month for the money they invest with him.
Scott said the investors are 100 per guaranteed to get a return for their investment.
On being asked by Angel how he moves the money back to the investor, he said:
<blockquote>
It depends on where they are from. If they are from Dubai, I can pay into their Dubai account… Anywhere, anywhere in the world, I can manage to do the transfer. Not a problem for me.
</blockquote>
According to Angel, Sakupwanya has managed to keep his wealth, and proceeds to gold, due to his loyalty to Mnangagwa. He said:
<blockquote>
Because he is (pointing above, to indicate that he is Mnangagwa’s man) … and the president.
</blockquote>
According to Al Jazeera, the gold smugglers carry Zimbabwe’s gold to Dubai, where it is then sold in exchange for clean cash.
This money is transferred to the bank accounts of the money launderers, who hand over an equivalent amount of their dirty dollars to the Zimbabwe government through the smugglers.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Gold Mafia: Macmillan Says He's Done Bribing Politicians To Smuggle Gold

Self-proclaimed prophet Uebert Angel has claimed that ZANU PF politician Pedzisai Sakupwanya, also known as Scott, is Zimbabwe’s number one gold dealer.
Angel was appointed Zimbabwe’s Ambassador at Large and Presidential Envoy to Europe and the Americas by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2021.
He made the remarks while speaking to Al Jazeera undercover reporters, who were pretending to be Chinese criminals looking to launder more than US$100 million of undeclared wealth.
This was revealed in the fourth and final episode of the “Gold Mafia” documentary titled “Have The King With You” that was premiered on Friday, 14 April 2023.
Angel also claimed that Scott used to wash cars for Ewan Macmillan and has overtaken his former boss in the gold industry. Said Angel:
<blockquote>
He is the biggest gold guy in Zimbabwe. He’s right there, he’s in his house, sleeping on five million U.S. dollars.
This guy used to clean MacMillan’s car. Macmillan was the one that this one worked for. It’s good we know it’s Macmillan.
Macmillan doesn’t control nothing. This was his worker cleaning his car. He is the number one now in Zimbabwe.
Scott is number one. Number one without a doubt. We can just call him right now.
</blockquote>
Angel then called Sakupwanya in the presence of the undercover reporters. He said:
<blockquote>
So I’ve got some good investors for you here. They are hearing you already. From January, what have you gotten right now? What have you sold?
</blockquote>
Scott said he had sold six tonnes of gold in 10 months. When Angel asked about what happens when someone invests with him, Sakupwanya said:
<blockquote>
I guess I can take ten percent per month.
</blockquote>
He said if he gets cash from someone, he gives them ten percent per month for the money they invest with him. 
Scott said the “investors” are 100 per guaranteed to get a return for their investment.
On being asked by Angel how he moves the money back to the investor, he said:
<blockquote>
It depends on where they are from. If they are from Dubai, I can pay into their Dubai account… Anywhere, anywhere in the world, I can manage to do the transfer. Not a problem for me.
</blockquote>
According to Al Jazeera, the gold smugglers carry Zimbabwe’s gold to Dubai, where it is then sold in exchange for clean cash.
This money is transferred to the bank accounts of the money launderers, who hand over an equivalent amount of their dirty dollars to the Zimbabwe government through the smugglers.
Angel’s assets were recently frozen by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Financial Intelligence Unit.
Reports suggest  Angel is likely to face money laundering charges and allegations of name-dropping.
Angel, through his lawyer Lovemore Madhuku, on Thursday postponed responding to the Gold Mafia documentary saying he will do so once the fourth and final episode is released.
A 2020 report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) said gold worth US$1.5 billion was smuggled out of Zimbabwe every year by syndicates linked to political elites.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Gold Mafia: Scott Sakupwanya Says He Takes 10% From Investors

ZANU PF politician and gold dealer Pedzisai “Scott” Sakupwanya has been named Zimbabwe’s biggest gold baron by Uebert Angel in a documentary by Qatar-based news network Al Jazeera titled Gold Mafia.
Angel, who is a British-Zimbabwean businessman, was appointed Ambassador at Large to Europe and the Americas by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2021.
In a snippet of the fourth and final instalment of Gold Mafia, Angel tells undercover reporters who posed as investors that Sakupawanya is a bigger gold dealer than Ewan MacMillan. He said:
<blockquote>
MacMillan doesn’t control nothing. This (Sakupwanya) was his worker cleaning his car. He is the number one now in Zimbabwe.
</blockquote>
MacMillan, a self-confessed gold smuggler, also features in the Al Jazeera documentary.
Angel also shows the reporters pictures of Sakupwanya flaunting his US$5 million cash and some gold bars on 29 June 2020. He said:
<blockquote>
He’s right there, he’s in his house, sleeping on five million US dollars.
</blockquote>
Sakupwanya is a ZANU PF councillor in Mabvuku and is the ruling party’s aspiring parliamentary candidate for Mabvuku Constituency.
He owns Better Brands Jewellery (BBJ) and other gold dealers operating in Mazowe and Penhalonga.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Gold Mafia: Scott Sakupwanya Number One Gold Baron In Zim, Says Uebert Angel

Redwing Mine in Penhalonga, which is being run by a company called BetterBrands owned by ZANU PF official and prominent gold dealer Pedzisai Scott Sakupwanya, has resumed operations.
The mine was temporarily closed by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) at the end of January this year after more than 20 people died in 13 months.
Manicaland provincial mining director, Elton Makumbe confirmed the reopening of Redwing Mine to <a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/mining-resumes-at-redwing/">The Manica Post</a>. He said:
<blockquote>
They were given the nod to reopen. The decision was made after consideration of the amount of work they have done in restoring sanity in the area.
They have conditions that relate to environmental stewardship, and security in terms of beefing up and warding off illegal miners as well as the need for mining protective implements.
It is important to note that this is not overnight work to implement some of the set safety and environmental conditions. They can do that while generating revenue.
Various factors were also considered including the economic aspect in terms of people’s livelihoods as well as their (BetterBrands) contribution to the fiscus.
To us, it is a welcome move, given that they have done a lot in restoring sanity in the area.
One of the conditions that we could not compromise on was the issue of gas monitors. They need to have gas monitors.
</blockquote>
According to a joint statement issued by three civic groups, that is Centre for Research and Development (CRD), Ziva Community Empowerment Trust, and Penhalonga Youth Development Ratepayers Trust, on 22 January 2023, 100 artisanal have died at Sakupwanya’s mine since 2020.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Mining Operations Resume At Redwing Mine

A senior ZBC reporter and a Central Intelligence Organisation agent are in trouble for allegedly demanding US$25 000 from gold dealer <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Pedzai_Sakupwanya">Scott Pedzisayi Sakupowanya</a> in order to destroy incriminating evidence against him.
Journalist <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Tendai_Munengwa">Tendai Munengwa</a>, 44, of Hillside in Harare and CIO agent Henry Kachere, 40, of Seke appeared before Harare Magistrates Court last Saturday charged with extortion and were remanded in custody to February 13 for their bail application.
What happened: 
The court heard that the duo hatched a plan to extort Sakupwanya, the CEO of Better Brands Jewellery, ZimLive reported.
On February 8, Munengwa allegedly told Sakupwanya that the CIO had “sensitive classified information in respect of illegal gold dealings” by his company.
Munengwa is also alleged to have said the evidence could be destroyed by Kachere, who is attached to the CIO’s Counter Intelligence Unit, upon the payment of US$25 000.
The National Prosecuting Authority told the court:
<blockquote>
As a result of the exerted pressure, Sakupwanya indicated that he could afford US$15 000.
</blockquote>
After accepting Sakupwanya’s offer, Munengwa allegedly advised the gold dealer that they would meet at 6 PM on February 9, 2023, so that he could introduce him to the CIO officer dealing with the matter.
The court heard that Sakupwanya called in the police who obtained a trap authority.
At the appointed time, Sakupwanya gave the trap money to one of his security officers, Tozivepi Milward, to give it to Munengwa and his accomplice outside his office at 2 Elliot Drive, Greendale, Harare.
Munengwa showed Milward a file which he claimed contained the incriminating documents. 
Milward handed over the trap money to Munengwa before detectives closed in and took the two men into custody.
Police recovered US$15 000 in real and counterfeit notes which had been used in the trap.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Senior ZBC Reporter, CIO In Trouble For Extorting Scott Sakupwanya

A Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) senior reporter Tendai Munengwa and an intelligence officer, Henry Kachere, appeared in court over the weekend after they allegedly extorted businessman and ZANU PF councillor Scott Sakupwanya.
<a href="https://www.hmetro.co.zw/duo-nabbed-for-extorting-top-businessman/">H-Metro</a> reported that Munengwa and Kachere appeared before magistrate Yeukai Dzuda who remanded them in custody to Saturday, 11 February for bail considerations.
Prosecutors said the two men connived to extort money from Sakupwanya by threatening to expose some sensitive classified information of some illegal gold dealings they allegedly claimed were happening at his company, Better Brands Jewellery.
Better Brands was recently ordered to suspend its operations at Redwing Mine in Penhalonga, by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), following reports of the deaths of scores of artisanal miners.
It is alleged that before implementing their plan, Munengwa approached Sakupwanya and demanded US$25 000 so that he could bring the documents and cause their destruction upon payment.
Sakupwanya is alleged to have indicated that he could afford US$15 000.
Munengwa allegedly accepted the money and indicated he was going to bring the CIO officers handling the matter to his offices on 9 February.
On the same day, the police obtained a trap authority and Sakupwanya gave the money to Tozivepi Milward, his security officer, to give the money to the two.
It is further alleged that Munengwa and Kachere went to Better Brands offices in Greendale where Kachere showed Milward the file, which they claimed contained incriminating information.
Milward then handed over the trap money to Munengwa who received it and took possession of the cash.
The police reacted promptly and arrested the two at the scene and recovered the trap money from Munengwa.

ZBC Senior Reporter, CIO Officer Arrested For Extorting ZANU PF Councillor

Redwing Mine in Penhalonga, which is being run by ZANU PF benefactor and prominent gold dealer Pedzisai Scott Sakupwanya, has temporarily been closed by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) following reports of deaths of scores of artisanal miners.
Sakupwanya through his company Better Brands Mining has for some time, been defying EMA’s directive to stop operations until some civic groups threatened to demonstrate at the mine.
Three civic groups, that is Centre for Research and Development (CRD), Ziva Community Empowerment Trust, and Penhalonga Youth Development Ratepayers Trust, issued a joint statement on Sunday, 22 January.
In the statement, the groups claimed that 100 artisanal have died at Sakupwanya’s mine since 2020.
In a letter dated 20 January 2023, Better Brands said it was suspending operations in compliance with EMA’s directives. It reads:
<blockquote>
Better Brands hereby advises its valued stakeholders that all surface mining operations shall be suspended with immediate effect due to the concerns about the increased number of fatalities, and environmental degradation.
Better Brands Mining shall take this opportunity to restructure and rehabilitate the mining field in preparation for the resumption of surface and underground mining.
</blockquote>
CRD director James Mupfumi, however, questioned Better Brands’ sincerity in addressing the issues raised by EMA. He said:
<blockquote>
It is a temporary ban meant to fool the country from demanding accountability.
It has happened twice with lies on promises to return to safe mining practices.
We are approaching the government and Parliament to summon Better Brands.
</blockquote>
Mupfumi said if the government fails to address their grievances, they will approach the United Nations (UN) for redress. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200006494/mine-deaths-haunt-ed-ally">NewsDay</a>

EMA Halts Redwing Mine's Operations

ZANU PF ward 21 councillor for Mabvuku, Scott Sakupwanya, who is a well-known gold buyer, was voted as the 2022 Councillor of The Year in Harare Metropolitan Province.
Harare Metropolitan provincial secretary Tafadzwa Muguti said Sakupwanya had changed the face of Mabvuku.
Over the weekend, Harare Metropolitan held its inaugural provincial awards, which honoured residents, businesspersons and people who excelled in the fields of arts, sports and others in 2022.
Addressing stakeholders at the awards ceremony, Muguti said:
<blockquote>
Many people are wondering how Sakupwanya won the award. Mabvuku was one of the dirtiest places and a councillor went there and bought refuse compactors.
He has been drilling boreholes using his own funds. We want to encourage people to start to know their councillors. We need to hold them to account.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, the Ruwa Local Board won three awards at the inaugural Harare Metropolitan provincial awards.
The local authority bagged three awards for best Harare Metropolitan Council, its mayor Kizito Chivafa was honoured as best mayor, and the board also got the top investment award.
Speaking to NewsDay, Ruwa Local Board town secretary Kumbirai Madanhi said:
<blockquote>
It is hard to put this feeling into words. Nevertheless, we are very ecstatic and glad that our hard work and resilience have put us above the rest.
We believe in zero tolerance for corruption and have emphasised daily to our councillors, management and operatives that all and sundry must comply with the legislative framework.
</blockquote>
Chivafa said he always championed due diligence and transparency among the nine Ruwa Local Board councillors. He said:
<blockquote>
I always encourage due diligence and transparency among us. Our stakeholders are the most important sector, hence the need to satisfy them, and it has to be driven by passion, constant internal audits and yearly external audits help us to restrain from corruption.
</blockquote>
|<a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200004950/govt-applauds-ccc-run-council"> NewsDay</a>

Scott Sakupwanya Voted As Councillor of The Year

Former Affirmative Action Group (AAG) leader <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Mike_Chimombe">Mike Chimombe</a> has been arrested on allegations of fraud, the Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed.
Chimombe was picked up from his Borrowdale Brooke residency by Criminal Investigative Detectives on Monday after allegedly refusing to be arrested by uniformed <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_Republic_Police">Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)</a> officers.
He is being accused of defrauding a Harare businessman Brian Marungamise of US$16 900 in a botched transaction for a housing stand.
Chimombe who is regarded as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ally allegedly sold a non-existent stand to Marungamise.
Marungamise is said to have paid US$16 900 for the stand in Tynwald, before discovering that he had been swindled.
A Twitter post seen by Pindula News said Chimombe’s two accomplices were arrested in July and have since appeared before the courts. Reads the post:
<blockquote>
The ZRP confirms the arrest of Mike Chimombe (41) for fraudulent land deals which occurred between August 2020 and December 2021 in Harare where the complainant was duped US$16 900. The other suspects, Heymish Katsande (33) and Steven Chimombe (33) were arrested in July 2022 and have already appeared in court where the matter was remanded to 26 October 2022.
</blockquote>
Chimombe was recently in the eye of an adultery scandal after he <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/businessman-and-socialite-mike-chimombe-impregnates-wifes-sister/">allegedly impregnated his wife’s younger sister.</a>
Prominent businessman, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Pedzai_Sakupwanya">Scott Pedzisai Sakupwanya</a> was appointed <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Affirmative_Action_Group">Affirmative Action Group (AAG)</a> President in March 2022 taking over from <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Mike_Chimombe">Mike Chimombe</a> who was relieved of his duties over unstated reasons.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

Former Affirmative Action Group Leader Mike Chimombe Arrested

ZANU PF secretary for finance <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Patrick_Chinamasa">Patrick Chinamasa</a> says the ruling party will take over operations at the highly contested, gold-rich Redwing Mine in Penhalonga claiming it is being mismanaged.
Chinamasa made the remarks on Sunday while launching ZANU PF’s by-election campaign for Mutasa South constituency where Misheck Mugadza will stand against Regai Tsunga of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in the March 26 polls.
He said the mine would be given to artisanal miners affiliated with the ruling ZANU PF. The former long-serving cabinet minister said:
<blockquote>
It is not our problem as government about what is happening at the mine, but it is the problem of the investor. When I am back in Harare, I am going to approach President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Ministry of Finance so that we can buy and take over the mine by the end of the year.
The government will then engage illegal miners because we want orderly mining here in Penhalonga.
</blockquote>
About two weeks ago, over 200 Redwing workers demonstrated against attempts by the judicial management to reinstate Betterbrands Mining Company (BMC) led by <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Pedzai_Sakupwanya">Pedzisai ‘Scot’ Sakupwanya.</a> BMC operated the mines from 2018 until <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2021/12/04/scott-kicked-out-of-gold-mining-venture-over-name-dropping-mnangagwa/">November 2021, when the tributary mining operations were halted.</a>
The workers said they preferred Metallon Gold while resisting efforts by the interim corporate rescue practitioner Knowledge Hofisi to impose BMC mining company.
Centre for Research and Development director James Mupfumi yesterday said Chinamasa’s remarks were merely meant to entice the electorate.  
Mupfumi said the same government is allowing gold barons to invade the same Redwing Mine. He called upon Parliament to summon Redwing and investigate the issue of gold leakages that has allegedly been happening since 2018.
More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

ZANU PF Threatens To Take A "Mismanaged" Gold-rich Redwing Mine

<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Pedzai_Sakupwanya?utm_source=PindulaArticle&amp;utm_campaign=PindulaArticle">Pedzisai Scott Sakupwanya</a>, a dealer considered close to the first family, has been kicked out of a gold mining venture in Penhalonga, Manicaland province.
Sakupwanya’s Better Brands company had been allocated 132 gold claims at Redwing Ming Company (RMC) under hazy circumstances.
Rival miners, the surrounding community and local advocacy groups were accusing Sakupwanya of having become the law unto himself by terrorising competitors and defying the police for causing extensive environmental damage at Redwing.
They reported that the gold miner claimed that the mining concessions he was running in Penhalonga belonged to President Mnangagwa.
Sakupwanya is a prominent member of the Affirmative Action Group, which is considered an elitist club of ruling ZANU PF sympathisers disguised as beneficiaries of black empowerment.
In early October, Information for Development Trust (IDT), working in collaboration with The Standard newspaper, reached out to Charamba over Sakupwanya’s alleged abuse of the president’s name and he threatened that namedroppers would “rot in jail”.
<blockquote>
There has been a serious level of name-dropping by people who are trying to ride rough-shod over the law in the name of the leadership. We take a very dim view of such personalities and in the event that we catch up with them, those guys will rot in jail.
Tell that Sakupwanya that, really, he must look at his articles of association and see if the president is a shareholder (in Betterbrands).
</blockquote>
A follow-up by Grazers News, the IDT online publication, established that the caretaker management at Redwing had resolved to stop Better Brands from operating at the goldfields.
In a letter dated 29 November 2021 that was addressed to Better Brands, Knowledge Hofisi, the Redwing interim corporate rescue manager, said he had replaced Sakupwanya’s company.
Duatlet Investments is now set to partner with Redwing, a subsidiary of Metallon Corporation that is domiciled in the UK. Part of the letter reads: 
<blockquote>
Accordingly, any and all mining activities that are being carried out by Better Brands Mining Company have been suspended and suppressed by the new arrangement and should therefore stop by end of business today. In other words they should immediately vacate RMC premises.
</blockquote>
The local community also accused Sakupwanya of fuelling criminal cases in the area after he hired artisanal miners from Kwekwe to boost his operations.
The artisanal miners, commonly known as Mashurugwi, allegedly beat up rivals and went on a stealing spree in the area.
Previous investigations showed that Better Brands’ operations were in violation of Statutory Instrument (SI) 258 of 2018 Environmental Management (Control of Alluvial Mining) (Amendment) Regulations, which outlaws setting up washing plants, ore stockpiles, slime dams or mining ponds within 500 meters from river banks.
<h2>More: <a href="https://grazersnews.org/archives/217831">Grazers News</a></h2>

Scott Kicked Out Of Gold Mining Venture Over 'Name-dropping Mnangagwa'

Better Brands Jewellery (BBJ) operations founder Pedzisai Scott Sakupwanya has urged Fidelity Printers and Refiners to review its gold prices as illegal buyers offer more lucrative prices.
Sakupwanya, who created a social media buzz after his pictures holding large sums of money and gold bars went viral, said he delivered over 829 kgs of gold to Fidelity between November last year and today, and 29kgs this week alone. He said:
<blockquote>I am a man who is willing to work for the country and have been working for the country for a very long time.
I have been a gold agent for Fidelity for a long time and I am one of their leading dealers.
Between November last year and today I have delivered over 829 kgs of gold to Fidelity. This week alone I delivered 29 kgs.
The challenge I am having is that the prices being offered by Fidelity are lower compared to those offered by illegal smugglers.
So, Fidelity should be reviewing its prices so that dealers like myself are not priced out.</blockquote>
Sakupwanya called upon authorities to investigate licenced gold dealers who are not delivering gold to Fidelity, with a view to cancelling their licences.
The mining sector contributes up to 70 per cent of the country’s forex earnings but gold worth over US$100 million is smuggled out of the country every month, Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe said recently.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/fidelity-clears-top-agent">The Sunday Mail</a></h4>

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