Rivers are usually the great equalisers of cities. They carry water from one place to another, binding communities together and sustaining farms, livestock and ecosystems along their course. In Mutare, the Sakubva River has acquired a less flattering role: it has become a moving record of the city’s infrastructure failures. By Donald Nyarota […]
Mutare’s poisoned river: 28 years of warnings, and still no cure Read More »
The Human Cost of Extractive Wealth When the Ground Gives Way, Accountability Must Rise Zimbabwe’s extractive economy is often discussed in the language of production, investment and national revenue. This edition of The Weekly asks a more fundamental question: who bears the cost when mineral wealth is extracted without adequate protection for people, communities and the environment? The
Editorial Note| The Weekly 29th Edition Read More »
A Special Edition on the 2026 SADC People’s Summit Welcome to this special edition of The Weekly, dedicated to the 2026 SADC People’s Summit and the critical conversations emerging from Southern Africa’s people’s movements, communities and civil society. Held under the theme “The People’s SADC: Strengthening People’s Solidarity in a Polycrisis of Debt, Inequality, Conflict, Extractivism
Editorial Note | The Weekly 28th Edition Read More »
Mining has long been a major pillar of Zimbabwe’s economy, contributing to employment, national revenue, and foreign-exchange earnings. However, the benefits of mining have not been equally distributed. In many rural and mining-affected communities, women continue to bear a disproportionate share of the environmental, social, and economic costs associated with extractive activities. The report “Impact
The Impact of Mining on Women’s Livelihoods in Zvishavane Read More »
Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth has never been in greater demand. From gold and lithium to platinum, chrome and diamonds, the country is increasingly positioned at the centre of a global scramble for critical minerals. Yet as extraction expands, a fundamental question remains: who is ultimately paying the price, and who is benefiting from this mineral wealth? The
Editorial Note | The Weekly 27th Edition Read More »
Zimbabwe stands at the centre of the global race for critical minerals. Lithium, iron and steel, gold and other resources are attracting unprecedented investment, positioning the country as an important player in the global energy transition and industrial development. But, as this edition of The Weekly illustrates, the true measure of progress cannot be found
Editorial Note | The Weekly 26th Edition Read More »
Zimbabwe’s natural resources continue to dominate the national development conversation, yet one question remains unanswered: who truly benefits from the country’s mineral wealth? This edition of The Weekly explores this question through the interconnected lenses of beneficiation, environmental justice, food security, community rights and accountable governance. Our lead story examines Zimbabwe’s lithium ambitions at a
Editorial Note | The Weekly 25th Edition Read More »
By Staff Reporter Diamonds, once Africa’s most dependable glitter, are losing their shine. There is a brutal market correction, driven not by geology but by technology, that is reshaping the fortunes of producer countries. Nowhere is the divergence clearer than between Botswana and Angola, two giants of the African diamond trade pursuing markedly different strategies
Botswana and Angola: Two Paths Through a Diamond Slump Read More »
Welcome to the 24th edition of The Weekly, where we continue to examine the opportunities and challenges shaping Zimbabwe’s natural resource governance landscape. This edition brings together stories that reflect the complex realities of extractive industries, conservation and community development, highlighting the urgent need to place people, accountability and sustainability at the centre of the
Editorial Note | The Weekly 24th Edition Read More »
This edition of The Weekly explores the defining governance questions shaping Zimbabwe’s extractive sector at a time when the country’s vast mineral wealth is attracting unprecedented global attention. From the communities of Buhera taking their grievances to Parliament, to the Government’s investment in lithium testing laboratories, the country is entering a new phase in the governance of
Editorial Note | The Weekly 23rd Edition Read More »
