Online Reporter
Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
EUREKA Gold Mine has handed over 33 modern homesteads to families in Guruve, marking a major milestone in the Government’s rural development agenda and setting a new standard for corporate social responsibility in the mining sector.
The beneficiaries are villagers who were relocated to pave the way for the mine’s expansion, and the new settlement has been described as a model of sustainable rural transformation.
Each homestead comprises a four-roomed house, a stand-alone kitchen, a bathroom and a toilet.
In addition, families received agricultural land, with the mine assisting by tilling the fields and providing farming inputs to ensure that livelihoods are sustained.
Commissioning the project, Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs and Devolution Christopher Magomo praised the initiative as proof of what can be achieved when the Government, the private sector and local communities work together.
“These houses are modern, durable and in line with the Zimbabwe National Human Settlements Policy, meeting international standards for affordable and sustainable housing,” he said.
“Eureka Gold Mine has shown that corporate social responsibility should set new benchmarks for excellence.”
Minister Magomo also commended the mine for working closely with traditional leaders to align the project with community needs.
He urged the company to support the Presidential Solarisation Programme to provide clean energy to the new homes and to contribute towards rural industrialisation in line with Vision 2030.
Turning to the beneficiaries, he congratulated them and urged them to safeguard their new assets.
“Today you receive not just shelter but dignity and security. Be good stewards of this blessing,” he said.
Since reopening in October 2021, Eureka has significantly ramped up production from 100 kilogrammes of gold per month to between 160 and 170 kilogrammes, with output reaching 530 kilogrammes in the second quarter of this year.
Minister Magomo said this growth reflected the success of the Government’s “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” mantra.
Eureka Gold Mine also donated US$10,000 to the Drug and Substance Abuse Resource Fund.
Minister Magomo welcomed the gesture, stressing that Vision 2030 required “a sober, healthy and focused population” and calling for collective responsibility to protect young people from drugs.
Eureka’s group shared services manager Mrs Vimbai Karonga expressed gratitude to the Second Republic for creating investment-friendly policies.
She pledged further development in the area, including the construction of a clinic and a secondary school to serve the relocated families.
Beneficiary Monica Mudiwa applauded the mine for uplifting livelihoods, while district information officer Mr Godfrey Chireru confirmed that this was the third relocation phase, bringing the total number of homesteads handed over to 53.
