A PRIVATE school in Chegutu, Mashonaland West province, is locked in a battle with a Chinese investor over the construction of a cement manufacturing plant with a capacity to produce 800 000 tonnes annually and create 800 direct jobs at full capacity, NewsDay can report.
The investment by Shuntai Investments (Pvt) Ltd comes at a time when Zimbabwe is grappling with a cement shortage, relying heavily on imports, some of which are smuggled as local manufacturers struggle to meet increasing demand.
In addition to the Chegutu cement project, Shuntai plans to establish a large-scale cement and lime factory project in Bindura district.
The Bindura project will include a cement production line with a capacity of 1 200 000 tonnes per annum and a lime production line with a capacity of 600 000 tonnes per annum.
The investor is also planning to build a grinding station in Bulawayo with a capacity of 400 000 tonnes of cement per annum.
Ultimately, Shuntai aims to produce a combined total of 3 000 000 tonnes of cement and lime per year, creating thousands of jobs for local communities.
However, despite having received documentation last year, authorities at Bryden Country School claim they were excluded from the consultative processes, including an on-going environmental impact assessment.
The school has also reportedly taken to social media platforms to campaign against the project while mobilising parents and the community to express their disgruntlement over the project.
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The Bryden authorities are particularly worried about potential dust, air, noise and water pollution, as well as increased traffic given the school’s proximity to the project site.
In an interview with NewsDay, Shuntai general manager Zhou Bin assured the public that the cement plant will utilise the latest technology, designed to keep noise, air and water pollution well below established standards in Zimbabwe.
“This technology is highly advanced and captures air with an efficiency of 95%. It also employs equipment that operates nearly silently, minimising noise within the facility,” he said.
“Furthermore, the plant design incorporates a closed-loop recycling system for underground water, which will be reused with minimal waste directed to our garden irrigation.”
Zhou emphasised the company’s willingness to engage all stakeholders as they finalise their plans for the mine’s development once all necessary approvals are obtained.
“We are flexible and open to improvement, subject to authorities’ approvals. We even met with the Bryden board on Monday, where we discussed constructing a road as far from the school as possible and keeping the school informed at every stage of the project,” he said.
Officials from Shuntai held a meeting with the Bryden board on Monday this week and subsequently toured the school, led by the school board chairperson Ahmed Noor.
According to Zhou, the company began on-site operations in late January this year and is currently constructing staff quarters with the initial phase employing 250 workers — the majority of whom are locals.
He said the company had already built modern houses for at least 14 families that had to be relocated and compensated.
“The community is our priority and we ensure they receive first consideration for all unskilled labour positions, as well as skilled roles where applicable. We are committed to prioritising women across all departments,” Zhou said.
