Kuvimba Mining House Head of Corporate Affairs Tendai Madondo

Trymore Tagwirei

Half of Sandawana Mine’s staff complement at the end of 2024 was female, representing what the lithium-producing company says is part of deliberate efforts to ensure that women have better chances of securing jobs and representation.

The recruitment policy counters criticism of alleged unfair labour practices that the company faced last year following the retrenchment of about 300 workers after a decline in global lithium prices.

Kuvimba Mining House Head of Corporate Affairs, Tendai Madondo said the company has turned a page with its deliberate efforts to employ more people from traditionally marginalized groups.

“Sandawana Mines had over 50 percent representation of women out of 700 employees at the Mine in the last financial year. We have a diversity target not just for women, but for people with disabilities and ethnic minorities so that we have broader representation of our country’s societal and cultural make-up,” said Madondo.

Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers (ZDAMWU) Secretary General Justice Chinhema applauded the lithium miner for the achievement, saying gender justice in the mining industry should begin with fair employment practices.

“Their employment policy is very good for the empowerment of women and for a more just society. Being a rural district, Mberengwa could set an example of equal representation in the scarce job opportunities on offer. This would ensure that economic spinoffs originating from the mine do not leave women behind,” said Chinhema.

He urged the company to fine-tune its gender policy in recruitment to prioritise widows, wives of the former workers and all young women especially from the local community.

Sandawana Mine boasts one of the largest lithium reserves in the country, being home to an estimated 100 million tonnes of lithium ore.

Known for its high grade lithium deposits, Sandawana Mine was previously renowned for producing high quality emeralds along the Mweza mountain range.

Sandawana Mine’s open pit lithium mining operations commenced in January 2023, contributing substantially to the economy through jobs, export revenue and Corporate Social Responsibility.

A subsidiary of Kuvimba Mining House which is 65% owned by the government, the company has exclusively unencumbered mining rights in Mberengwa covering an area of 3 882 hectares of land.