Sandawana Mine builds houses for 104 families displaced by lithium project

One hundred and four (104) families are being displaced from areas under Chief Mahlebadza and Chief Mudavanhu in Mberengwa Central to make way for a US$4 million lithium processing plant.

The plant, which is under construction, is owned by Sandawana Mine.

Mberengwa District Development Coordinator Vafios Hlabati confirmed the development to Masvingo Mirror.

People who spoke to Masvingo Mirror in Mberengwa this week, including Mberengwa Rural District Council chairman Garisikai Moyo, said traditional leaders and the affected families are content with the move after the mine offered what they described as decent relocation conditions.

Each relocated family has received a four-roomed house with a kitchen and toilet, with the homestead fenced. The mine has drilled boreholes at the new homes, is organising irrigation schemes for the families and has connected the homesteads to solar power.

Chiefs Mahlebadza and Mudavanhu, in whose areas the plant is being built, have also had houses built at their homesteads.

Village heads who offered land to the relocated families are receiving one cow for every villager they have taken in.

Families who preferred to move to urban areas have had stands bought for them at Jeka Business Centre, Mataga and Mberengwa.

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