Hwange residents are vehemently opposing a proposed mining venture by Chinese company Sunny Yi Feng (Private) Limited, which is slated to take place within a national wildlife park.
General Notice 82 of 2025, issued under the Mines and Minerals Act [Chapter 21:05], reveals that Sunny Yi Feng has applied for Exclusive Prospecting Order No. 04 of 2021 in the Matabeleland North mining district, encompassing areas in Hwange and Victoria Falls.
This order grants the company permission to mine within a national park, a decision that residents argue will devastate biodiversity, disrupt wildlife habitats, and exacerbate human-wildlife conflict.
Fidelis Chima, coordinator of the community-based organization Greater Whange Residents Trust (GWRT), emphasized the residents’ unwavering opposition.
“The proposed prospecting area covers 16,000 hectares, with a boundary just 7.8 kilometers from Sinamatella Camp, a popular tourist destination,” Chima stated.
“The government, in 2020, banned mining activities in national parks. Regrettably, we are now receiving reports that Sunny Yi Feng intends to conduct coal mining at Sinamatella Camp within the park itself.”
“Mining activities near Sinamatella will disrupt vital wildlife corridors and significantly increase human-wildlife conflict,” Chima warned.
In a related development, GWRT recently petitioned Parliament, raising serious concerns about escalating pollution. They contend that their health is severely jeopardized by air and water contamination linked to existing mining operations.
The residents are demanding a revision of the Pneumoconiosis Act (Chapter 15:08) to ensure their right to protection from air and noise pollution. They argue that the current Act fails to protect them, as they are being denied regular medical check-ups to assess the impact of coal dust on their health, particularly on their respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
