Zimbabwe: Drone Footage Reveals Troubling River Disruption Around Richbasin Granite Mine

What the report says

Drone footage reported by 263Chat, republished by AllAfrica, has raised new concerns about possible river disruption near Richbasin Minerals’ granite mining operations in Zimbabwe. The images allegedly show the Mazowe River flowing more continuously upstream, then breaking into exposed rock, sandbanks and isolated pools downstream of the mine site. The report places the operation near Mutoko and says the quarrying area sits close to, and may encroach on, the river channel.

The article says the visuals do not by themselves prove the mine caused the change in water flow, but they do point to a situation that warrants investigation. It frames the issue as part of wider anxiety over mining-related damage to Zimbabwe’s rivers and dams, noting that the government declared a state of disaster in May 2026 for 17 river systems affected by such degradation. The Mazowe River was among the waterways identified, and the report links the basin’s condition to siltation, deforestation and mining pressure.

The story also places the footage against a broader water-supply backdrop in Mazowe District, where irrigation planning has reportedly been affected by low dam levels and reduced water availability. It notes that granite quarrying is legally different from alluvial mining, but says that distinction does not permit unlawful work in protected riverbeds or banks.

Environmental Management Agency spokesperson Amkela Sidange said the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development regulates where mining can occur, while adding that she would check with a local office on any response to the reported activity. The report underscores questions about enforcement and whether existing environmental protections are being applied around the river.