Chronicle Editor
Chronicle Reporter
THE community of Inyathi is up in arms with the owner of Cotton Creek mine who has been accused of being used as a front by an Australian foriegner to act as the owner of the mine so as to avoid Zimbabwe’s Indigenization policy.
Nqobile Gabriel Moyo who pegged the mine has been in the crosshairs of government authorities, local Zanu-PF leadership and the Inyathi community after it emerged that the mine was actually owned by Benjamin Gallyhalk an Australian national, something which Moyo has constantly denied claiming Gallyhalk was actually an investor.
An investigation by this publication has revealed that at one point Gallyhalk was attacked by the local community when he had visited the mine.
It has also been revealed that Moyo and Gallyhalk met while volunteering at Khayelihle Children’s Village a Orphanage in Umguza and the mining venture was aimed at helping the orphan’s to training in various work skills after their leaving the orphanage.
“Nqobile Gabriel Moyo tricked government into believing that he owned the mine but we know that the mine belongs to Benjamin Gallyhalk. We will not allow him to operate in our area because of this. These are our resources and we say no to any foriegner taking over what belongs to us as Zimbabweans.
“We tried to engage Moyo but it seems he is stubborn hence we are taking matters into our own hands. We will fight this till its rectified, actually we have set up a committee as Zanu-PF leadership in the district to ensure that Moyo and his Australian front are barred from operating in the area,” said a villager who declined to be named.
However, sources close to Moyo told a different story, revealing that he had adhered to all the country’s laws but was being targeted because he refused to sponsor activities of the ruling party.
“Gallyhalk was a genuine investor and this deal was followed through as per the Indigenization laws where Moyo was the majority shareholder. However the major qualm was that Moyo refused for the mine to be associated with Zanu-PF, even refusing to fund the party’s activities in the district.
“Authorities also questioned how a government employee can be getting such a huge investment from Australia. However, what is unfair is that Moyo genuinely brought investment into the country and he is now being made to suffer for pushing investment,” said the source.
The source revealed that Moyo had since gone into hiding as he was now subject of attack from supporters of Zanu-PF who had since taken over operations at the mine.
“As is we do not know where Moyo is because he confided to some of us that he now feared for his life. As for Gallyhalk he left Zimbabwe in January 2015 as he said he cannot suffer for just wanting to invest in a project.
“The mine has since been taken over by members of the ruling party who have vowed to bar Moyo from operating in the area. It is honestly a sad scenario,” said the sources .
Online Reporter