NGOs Warn Of “Dangerous And Unsustainable” Mining On Christmas Pass Mountain Range

Environmental and labour organisations have raised “grave concern” over open-cast gold mining operations on the Christmas Pass mountain range near Penhalonga, warning that the activities pose serious risks to local communities and the environment.

In a joint statement issued on 30 April 2026, the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG), the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Workers Union (ZIDAWU) and the Centre for Research and Policy Development in Africa (CRPDA) described mining on the range in the Toronto/Penhalonga area as “dangerous and unsustainable”.

The groups said a joint team carried out a field investigation on 22 April at an open-cast gold mining site operated by a Chinese company.

“What we witnessed is not just environmental degradation; it is a disaster in the making,” read part of the statement.

“Mining operations are being carried out on a steep mountain gradient, with extensive removal of vegetation and topsoil of the open-cast operations.

“This may critically weaken the structural integrity of the mountain. The result is an immediate and escalating risk of mudslides and debris flows, particularly during the rainy season.

“Communities living below the mountain, especially residents of Toronto and learners at Hillcrest School, are now directly exposed to potential catastrophe.

“A single heavy downpour could trigger landslides with devastating consequences for lives, homes, and public infrastructure.

“Christmas Pass is not just any mountain. It is a landmark of historical, environmental, and cultural significance to Mutare.

“Its ongoing destruction represents an irreversible loss to both heritage and ecology.”

The organisations said discussions with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) confirmed it had issued rehabilitation orders, an acknowledgement of the scale of the environmental damage.

“However, monitoring alone is not enough when lives are at risk. Compliance must be enforced urgently and decisively,” read the statement.

“Furthermore, our team did not witness any rehabilitation works. On the contrary, we were informed that they are setting up equipment for large-scale open-cast gold mining.

“This will also affect Murambi, Fairbridge, Florida and several other neighbourhoods in Mutare.

“The situation is further complicated by claims of private land ownership. We emphasise that private ownership does not override public safety obligations.

“Under environmental law, no mining operation is permitted to endanger communities or degrade ecosystems with impunity.

“Equally alarming is the proximity of mining operations to residential areas and Hillcrest School.

“This is in clear violation of Section 31C of the Mines and Minerals Act, which states that areas ‘within the surveyed limits of any city, town, township or village, or upon a belt fifty metres in width outside such limits’ are not open to prospecting.

“There is clear evidence of inadequate buffer zones, exposing communities to dust, noise, and geological instability. The safety of children cannot be negotiable.”

CNRG said that it has formally submitted a request for information to the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development regarding the legality, scope, and regulatory compliance of these operations.

The CNRG, CRPDA and ZIDAWU have called for an independent and transparent audit of the mountain’s structural stability, warning that continued mining could trigger landslides or collapse in the ecologically fragile area.

They are also demanding an immediate review of the permit authorising mining operations at Christmas Pass, to establish whether the activities comply with legal boundaries. If no valid permit exists, they said, those responsible for the “environmental crimes” should face arrest.

“This is a test of Zimbabwe’s commitment to responsible mining, environmental justice, and the protection of its citizens. Failure to act will not only constitute regulatory negligence, but it will also be complicity in a preventable disaster.

“As civil society organisations, we stand with the communities of Penhalonga. Their safety, rights, and environment must come before profit.”