The Rise of Artisanal Mining and Violence in Zimbabwe: A Consequence of Poverty and Weak Regulations

Artisanal Miner in Zimbabwe

Background

In Africa, the increasing levels of poverty and unemployment continue to drive many individuals toward artisanal mining and illegal gold panning (Kelly, 2014). The economic hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have further exacerbated poverty, affecting an estimated 39 million people across the continent (Blokhuis, 2021). In Zimbabwe, the World Bank reported that extreme poverty surged, with approximately 7.9 million people, half of the country’s population, falling into this category. As a result, the mining sector has experienced a significant rise in artisanal mining and unregulated panning, as many turn to this industry for survival. Even in cases where regulations exist, enforcement remains a challenge (Ngwenya et al., 2024).

According to the International Crisis Group (ICG), Zimbabwe had approximately 1.5 million artisanal miners in 2020, though this figure likely underestimates the full scale of illegal mining. The absence of strict law enforcement in the sector has led to widespread violence, particularly due to the rise of criminal gangs. These groups, commonly referred to as Mashurugwi in the Midlands Province or aMabhambadzi in Insiza, nicknames derived from either their place of origin or the machetes they wield, have instilled fear and chaos in gold-rich areas. They use brutal force to seize processed gold, ore, and valuable mining claims, resorting to extreme violence, including maiming and killing, to secure their dominance (Mkodzongi, 2020) 

Objectives

• Assess the socioeconomic drivers of artisanal mining 

• Evaluate the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on mining activities 

• Analyse the regulatory challenges in artisanal mining 

  
  

References

• Blokhuis, V. (2021). How COVID-19 has impacted work and poverty in Africa. In.

• Kelly, J. T. (2014). “This mine has become our farmland": Critical perspectives on the coevolution of artisanal mining and conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Resources Policy, 40, 100-108.

• Mkodzongi, G. (2020). The rise of ‘Mashurugwi’machete gangs and violent conflicts in Zimbabwe's artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector. The Extractive Industries and Society, 7(4), 1480-1489.

• Ngwenya, D. M., Matambo, S., & Phiri, K. (2024). The socio-economic impacts of artisanal mining on ordinary villagers in Insiza District, Zimbabwe. The Extractive Industries and Society, 17, 101422.