Residents of Norton have launched a fierce protest against Ronchelle Trading, a Chinese company seeking to establish gypsum mining operations in a local industrial area.
This backlash mirrors a growing trend of disputes across Zimbabwe, where Chinese firms have faced accusations of displacing communities, desecrating ancestral graves, and destroying cultural heritage sites in pursuit of gold and granite mining.
According to AMH, in Norton, concerned citizens have petitioned the Town Council to block Ronchelle’s plans, citing fears of environmental degradation and disruption to their way of life.
The controversy reached a boiling point after the council published a notice in May, proposing to rezone a 33.7-hectare site in Knowe Township from residential to industrial use.
The move has sparked widespread outrage, with residents demanding that their voices be heard and their community protected.
“It is proposed to establish an industrial stand on the above-named property, which is some 33,7 hectares in area and is zoned for agro-residential use in the approved Knowe layout plan, wherein the proposed use requires special consent from the local authority,” reads the notice.
“In terms of the Act, the application is required to be advertised and owners of adjacent properties notified in writing before the application can be considered for a permit by the local authority.
“The application plans and any special conditions which the local authority is likely to impose in the event of this application being favourably considered may be inspected during normal office hours.
