BULAWAYO – A Chinese-owned company, Sunny Yi Feng (Private) Limited, has come under scrutiny after applying for an exclusive prospecting order (EPO) in Matabeleland North Mining District, covering a vast 16,120-hectare area that includes parts of Hwange National Park.
The application, published under General Notice 82 of 2025 by the Mining Affairs Board, seeks to allow coal exploration in the Sinamatella region of the park. The development has raised alarm among environmentalists, conservationists, and local communities, who warn that mining activities in a protected national park could have devastating consequences on wildlife, tourism, and ecological sustainability.
Threat to Zimbabwe’s Wildlife Heritage
Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest wildlife sanctuary, is home to thousands of elephants, lions, and other endangered species. Conservationists fear that granting the EPO would set a dangerous precedent, encouraging further mining activities in protected areas.
An environmental activist based in Hwange, speaking on condition of anonymity, condemned the move:
“Hwange National Park is a critical wildlife corridor, and allowing coal exploration here would be catastrophic. The noise, pollution, and habitat destruction would disrupt ecosystems and drive away key species, including elephants and big cats.”
Local tourism operators have also expressed concern, arguing that the potential destruction of the park’s pristine environment would severely impact Zimbabwe’s multi-million-dollar tourism industry.
Calls for Government Intervention
While the government has not yet approved the application, activists are urging authorities to reject the proposal outright and reinforce protections against mining in national parks. In 2020, the Zimbabwean government faced a similar outcry when it initially allowed Chinese companies to explore coal in Hwange but later reversed the decision after public backlash and legal pressure.
The Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association (ZELA) has vowed to challenge the application, citing violations of environmental laws and international conservation agreements.
Public Objections Invited
According to the public notice, objections to the application can be submitted to the Mining Affairs Board within 14 days. However, conservationists argue that such processes are often ignored, and backdoor deals between mining firms and authorities put protected lands at risk.
With Zimbabwe’s fragile ecosystems already under threat from deforestation, poaching, and climate change, critics warn that any move to allow mining inside Hwange National Park would amount to ecological vandalism.
“National parks are meant for conservation, not for destruction,” a tourism operator in Victoria Falls remarked. “The government must act in the best interest of future generations and reject this application.”
