Extractive industries indigenisation, displacement and vulnerabilities: The case of Arda Transau, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The discovery of diamonds in 2006 in Marange's Chiadzwa area and extractive industry indigenisation in Zimbabwe beginning in 2010 has led to an expanding number of mining-induced internally displaced persons in the country. To investigate this, the case of Chiadzwa villagers resettled on the Arda Transau farm in Odzi is considered. This article is based on document analysis as well as in-depth interviews conducted with resettled villagers and key informant interviews conducted with selected key informants. The question that underpins this paper is: How and why do the outcomes of the Chiadzwa mining-induced displacement and resettlement measures, and extractive industry indigenisation increase the vulnerabilities of the IDPs? This article, therefore, examines the extent to which these displacements and wider unfulfilled indigenisation and displacement promises have robbed the victims twice of their empowerment. The key findings of this paper are: non-fulfilment of both indigenisation pledges and displacement promises significantly disrupted the lives, livelihoods and social fabric of the victims, leading to widespread social disarticulation, landlessness, economic deprivation, vagabondage, food insecurity, joblessness, and some extent objectifying the victims. The paper also contributes to emergent literature on mining-induced displacement studies, offering insight into how the victims can be robbed twice, i.e. through unfulfilled indigenisation and displacement promises, and robbed of empowerment. This paper therefore recommends the insertion of a section dealing specifically on timely, sufficiently and justly compensating the MIDR victims in the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill. Furthermore, the government should put in place measures and sanctions that would compel mining companies to fulfil their indigenization and displacement promises and commitments.