ZIMPLATS and its parent company Implats have issued 5% shares to traditional leaders in Mhondoro-Ngezi district, who will hold them on behalf of their communities.
This was revealed yesterday during the commissioning of the US$104,1m third concentrator plant for ZimPlats mine in Mhondoro.
The construction of the third concentrator began in January 2021 and ended in August last year.
The third concentrator is meant to help ZimPlats increase production by 13%. The project was accomplished by both local and foreign contractors from South Africa.
According to ZimPlats chairperson Thandi Orleyn, at least 700 people were employed at the peak of construction of the concentrator.
In a speech read on his behalf by Mines and Mining Development minister Winston Chitando, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the commissioning of the third concentrator was important in achieving the National Development Strategy 1 objectives.
“What we have today is the commissioning of a concentrator plant built by ZimPlats and it is part of the US$1,8 billion investment,” Mnangagwa said
ZimPlats’s expansion project is set to employ more than 2 000 people.
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“I would like to urge other mining companies to follow in the footsteps of ZimPlats mine,” Mnangagwa added.
Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka said: “We are certain that the mining sector targets will be accomplished with the addition of this plant.”
ZimPlats is also part of community ownership schemes which include the Mine Support Solutions, which stipulates that 95% of its employees should be sourced from communities surrounding the mine.
There is also the Turf Brick Moulding Company, which is operated by mostly women from the community, which produces 32 000 bricks in eight hours.
