By Munashe Evans Tembo

The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) today condemned the exhumation of graves at Sabi Star Mine (MaxMind) in Buhhera District, Manicaland, calling the process “reckless” and “deeply disrespectful,” and demanding immediate accountability, transparency, and redress for affected families. The call came at a press conference held at the Media Centre in Harare, today, November 28, 2025.

Grave-exhumations provoke outrage

CNRG’s director, Farai Maguwu, addressed media and community representatives, rebutting recent statements by the company that denied claims published in a social media post by CNRG. In that post, Maguwu alleged that graves had been exhumed and remains dumped by the mining company. The company labelled the post “false and malicious,” even threatening legal action. CNRG insists the post was based on direct community testimony and evidence.

According to CNRG, the exhumations included 22 human remains, of which 17 were reportedly infants. Community members claim the remains of the children were wrapped in plastic bags — not in coffins — and that the handling and reburial was done without respect for cultural and spiritual norms. Families were not properly consulted, and no traditional rituals or counselling were provided. Witnesses described deep emotional trauma and distress.

Key allegations from affected families

• Exhumations were carried out without free, prior, and informed consent of the affected families — traditional leaders allegedly coerced agreement.
• Remains were relocated to unspecified sites, without consultation with families.
• Some graves exhumed contained remains in good condition; relatives were traumatised by seeing the bodies disinterred.
• Payments offered by the company (USD 1,500 per adult grave, USD 1,000 per infant grave) reportedly sparked family conflicts and divisions, especially where some relatives lived elsewhere and were unaware that a different family member had accepted payment.
• There was no spiritual consultation (e.g. via spirit mediums) — a serious violation of local cultural norms. Some present described “possession” by spirits of the deceased
• during exhumation proceedings, warning of possible spiritual consequences.

One mother whose child’s grave was exhumed is among those present at the press conference and is expected to share her testimony.

CNRG: “People over Profit”

Maguwu reiterated CNRG’s core stance: natural-resource extraction must never override human dignity, culture, and rights. He warned that what happened at Sabi Star Mine could be part of a broader, national pattern. CNRG cited another case from Marange — where about 2,100 graves were reportedly exhumed to make way for mining operations, illustrating what the organisation described as “a grave crisis of respect for the dead and their communities.”

He said the company’s public statement misinterpreted the term “excavators” used in CNRG’s earlier post — claiming the word implied heavy machinery — when in fact in archaeological and mortuary terms, an “excavator” may refer to a human being hired to dig up remains. The funeral parlour tasked with exhumation, therefore, qualifies as an excavator, according to Maguwu.

The press conference provided a platform not just for CNRG’s arguments, but also for community members to testify directly about the exhumation process, the psychological and spiritual trauma, and the enduring pain caused by what many described as “a desecration.”

CNRG concluded by demanding full accountability, an independent investigation, restorative measures, and guaranteed respect for human rights and cultural practices in all future mining operations.

Why this matters

The incident raises serious questions about the ethics and human rights practices of mining companies operating in Zimbabwe. It highlights a clash between industrial interests and the cultural, spiritual, and emotional rights of communities — rights often overlooked in pursuit of profit.