By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Oppenheimer family has secured a court interdict in Zimbabwe to block the mineral exploration at its cattle ranch in Matabeleland South.
The Oppenheimers, through their company Shangani Holistic, reacted after a company called Duration Gold flew a plane low over their 65,000-hectare Shangani Ranch in Insiza district on June 2, apparently conducting a geophysical survey.
It later emerged that the aircraft was owned by a South African company which in turn had been hired by Duration Gold, themselves engaged to conduct the aerial survey by Pearline Mineral Exploration.
Pearl Mineral Exploration was granted an exclusive prospecting order (EPO) in 2019, entitling the company to prospect for a range of minerals including gold, silver, copper, antimony, lead, cobalt, manganese, zinc, nickel, chrome, graphite and lithium.
The Oppenheimers filed an urgent application at the High Court arguing that Pearline Mineral Exploration did not possess an environmental impact assessment certificate, a legal requirement before any mineral prospecting or mining can take place.
The Oppenheimers argued before court that the farm had 400 employees who run an operation that exports beef to the United Kingdom. They said they hold 8 000 cattle at the ranch.
The farm is also a sanctuary for wildlife as it serves as a corridor for migrating animals. At the farm, there’s a school for the local community, mostly for children of employees, with about 150 pupils.
As such, Justice Musithu ruled that mining activities would affect the community as well as wildlife conservation.
“The mineral exploration does not only have the potential to cause harm to the environment, but also to livestock and wildlife. There is clearly a reasonable apprehension of harm if the project proceeds without due regard to the law,” he said.
The Oppenheimers said they have been on the land since 1937. The ranch previously stretched for over 140,000 hectares before some of the land was repossessed by the government for resettling indigenous Zimbabweans.