FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HARARE, 27 May 2026
The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) is deeply concerned by the worsening humanitarian, environmental, and governance crisis surrounding the Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO) operations in Manhize, where displaced communities continue to suffer under poor living conditions, unclear relocation arrangements, and environmental harm.
Communities displaced to pave way for the Dinson Industrial Park report severe hardship and neglect. Six boreholes drilled by the company at relocation sites reportedly turned into dry holes, leaving families without reliable access to water.
Affected families also report that compensation was inadequate because the land was classified as state land, meaning compensation only covered structures and trees rather than the full livelihood value of the land.
CNRG is particularly alarmed by the situation facing approximately 22 families from Mushenjere village, many of whom are elderly people between 80 and 90 years old.
These villagers, especially elderly women who depend on subsistence farming, have lost access to their agricultural land following mining expansion. The company set up its industrial complex on the villagers’ farmland, thereby bringing farming activities to a halt. Furthermore, DISCO built a wall around the industrial area, leaving communities outside while exposing them to dust, pollution, and emissions from nearby mining and limestone crushing operations.
More importantly, when it constructed the wall, the company enclosed all the arable land belonging to the families. Consequently, for more than 4 years the affected families have not been able to grow crops for subsistence – thereby condemning them to perennial food insecurity.
The elderly residents have no realistic capacity to rebuild their lives elsewhere. Only three families have reportedly been moved to the proposed relocation site, but even those houses have allegedly developed internal structural cracks despite appearing complete externally.
Families are reportedly surviving on irregular subsistence payments of US$200 every other month, an amount inadequate to meet basic needs amid rising living costs. At one point, these payments reportedly stopped for more than five months until communities protested.
CNRG is equally concerned by allegations that some company-linked officials are working to sanitize the public image of the project while obscuring the realities facing communities on the ground.
Reports indicate that media houses are routinely invited for choreographed tours of the production facilities and industrial operations, while the affected community areas, cracked houses, dust pollution zones, and relocation sites are deliberately excluded from the tours.
At the centre of growing concern are senior Zimbabwean managers, whose conduct has reportedly drawn the attention of government authorities. CNRG has received information that officials from the Ministry of Lands recently called the manager to order over allegations that he engaged communities outside formal government relocation processes and without the knowledge or oversight of responsible state authorities.
Workers at Dinson are also operating under extremely unsafe conditions. At some point the company engaged a medical Doctor to carry out medical tests on the employees but the results were not declared to the workers. Instead, they are kept at the safety office. In cases where some workers might have life threatening conditions, this information remains a closely guarded secret by management.
These developments raise serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the handling of community relocation and compensation processes. Zimbabwe’s industrialization agenda cannot be realized by sacrificing human dignity, community rights, and environmental justice.
CNRG therefore calls on the Government of Zimbabwe to urgently intervene and enforce accountability at Manhize by:
- Enforcing the immediate construction of standard, safe, and durable housing for all affected families;
- Conducting independent structural assessments of all relocation houses;
- Providing reliable water infrastructure for relocated communities;
- Ensuring full, impartial, government oversight of all relocation and compensation processes;
- Protecting elderly and vulnerable residents from further displacement until humane conditions are guaranteed;
- Conducting independent environmental and health assessments on dust pollution and emissions;
- Releasing the medical results of all the tested workers
- Providing free medical examinations and treatment for the affected families;
- Investigating allegations of misinformation and irregular community engagements involving company officials.
- Setting up a measurable timeline for implementation of all the action points.
The goal of CNRG is to defend the rights of communities affected by extractive industries.
For more information, contact:
Email info@cnrgzim.org
Cell +263 786 913 423
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Website: https://cnrgzim.org/