CNRG Condemns the Shooting at SINOAFRICA HUIJIN Mine: A Disturbing Pattern of State-Enabled Impunity
For Immediate Release
HARARE, 15 April, 2026
The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) expresses deep concern and condemnation of the recent shooting incident at SINOAFRICA HUIJIN Mine, on Sunday 12 April, 2026. Sino Africa Huijin is based at Premier Estate, Old Mutare. The Chinese syndicate, operating in cahoots with some political figures, is believed to be operating illegally since their mining permit expired and was not renewed by the government. This tragic event is not an isolated occurrence, but part of a deeply worrying and recurring pattern of violence at this mine in particular and within Zimbabwe’s extractive sector in general. CNRG has attended to 3 shooting incidents at this mine in the past 5 years.
The latest incident occurred when an unarmed miner was shot after failing to pay, despite already being regularly exploited by guards. He survived but was seriously injured. Preliminary reports indicate that the victim, name withheld, was allegedly shot and injured from the back, strongly suggesting that he was fleeing and posed no immediate threat at the time of the shooting. If confirmed, this points to a deeply troubling use of excessive and unjustified force. The priority in such situations must always be apprehension and due process, not the meting out of extrajudicial punishment.
Manicaland Police spokesperson Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the incident, stating that the miner in question was shot in an act of self-defense after security guards allegedly fired warning shots to scare off a group of invaders.
Information gathered shows that artisanal miners conniving with some security guards to gain access to the site. Under this arrangement guards are accused of systematic abuse and corruption, allowing miners to operate only after paying bribes (around $10 for a few bags of ore). Those who fail to pay are reportedly beaten, stoned, or assaulted. There are also reports of extortion (up to $2000), threats, and gunfire used to intimidate miners.
Community members allege that guards are manipulating and targeting local youth, while also engaging in theft themselves. There is growing anger and concern that security personnel are abusing their power, and calls are being made for accountability and an end to the violence and exploitation. The continued use of live ammunition against civilians, particularly artisanal and small-scale miners, reflects a systemic failure to uphold human rights and protect vulnerable communities. What is most alarming is the apparent impunity under which such acts are carried out, often with little to no accountability for perpetrators.
A Pattern of Violence at Premier Huijin and Beyond
This latest shooting adds to a growing list of violent incidents at mining sites including, Sino Africa Huijin itself. In April 2025, an artisanal miner, Alfred Dodzo, was fatally shot by a security guard under circumstances widely condemned as excessive and unjustified, with reports indicating that multiple shots were fired without warning. In January 2025, a worker at the mine, Taurai Dozva, was found dead whilst on night duty. There was no clear explanation on how Taurai met his fate.
Africa Sino Africa Huijin, similar incidents have been recorded across Zimbabwe’s mining sector. In October 2025, a Zimbabwean worker was shot dead at a gold mine in Mutoko by a foreign national in a case that sparked national outrage and highlighted growing tensions around mining-related violence. Similarly, Mthahandazo Sibanda (20) was shot with a 9mm Derya pistol by a Chinese national whilst allegedly stealing gold ore at Binyup Mine 5 in Filabusi on the 20th of January 2025. This year an artisanal miner Abel Matindindi, an unarmed artisanal miner who was allegedly shot and assaulted by Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamonds Company (ZCDC) security guards in the Marange diamond fields on January 30.
These incidents are not isolated, they reflect a broader and deeply entrenched pattern in which violence is routinely deployed against local miners and communities, often under the guise of protecting mining concessions.
A Governance Crisis
This incident underscores a broader crisis of governance in the mining sector, where private security forces and, in some instances, state actors operate above the law. The normalization of violence as a tool of control in mineral-rich areas raises urgent questions about the state’s role in either enabling or failing to prevent these abuses. Zimbabwe has witnessed such patterns before. In the diamond fields of Marange, state-led crackdowns on artisanal miners resulted in widespread violence, including reports that scores of miners were shot during security operations.
CNRG notes that recurrence of such incidents points to a dangerous trajectory, one where lives of ordinary Zimbabweans are increasingly expendable in the pursuit of mineral wealth.
We therefore call for:
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- An independent, transparent, and thorough investigation into the Premier Huijin shooting, with findings made public.
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- Immediate accountability for all those responsible, regardless of their affiliation or position.
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- A clear end to the use of lethal force in situations where suspects can be safely apprehended
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- A review of the use of force protocols in mining areas, particularly regarding private security and state security actors.
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- The security sector to institute stronger protection mechanisms for artisanal miners and local communities in resource rich areas
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- A broader reform of the governance framework and expediting the Mines and Minerasls Act amendment, in the extractive sector to prioritize human rights, transparency, and justice.
Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth must not come at the cost of human life. The state has a constitutional obligation to protect its citizens, not to preside over or tolerate their harm.
CNRG stands in solidarity with the affected families and communities and reiterates its commitment to advocating for justice, accountability, and responsible natural resource governance.