Tichaona Katsvamutima
The Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has called for an independent investigation into two separate deaths involving personnel working at Bikita Minerals during the weekend of 6–7 June 2026, amid renewed concerns over occupational health and safety standards at Zimbabwe’s largest lithium mine.
In a statement issued on Tuesday 09 June, CNRG said Bikita Minerals had confirmed that 40-year-old Thomas Kaliveni, a dump truck operator employed by contractor WGB Kinsey & Company, died after sustaining injuries in an incident at a waste dump site on 6 June. According to the company, the incident occurred at approximately 7:45 pm and investigations are ongoing.
Bikita Minerals also confirmed a second and unrelated incident involving a security guard employed by Rebnek Security, an independent security services provider. The employee was reportedly found unresponsive while on duty during the early hours of 7 June by a supervisor conducting routine inspections.
CNRG extended its condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased workers, describing the incidents as a profound tragedy that warrants urgent attention.
The organisation said information gathered from workers on duty at the time of the fatal accident suggests growing concern over workplace safety conditions within the mine’s Quarry and Mining Department, where blasting and hauling operations are conducted.
According to CNRG, workers allege that the departure of experienced personnel over the past year has resulted in the loss of critical skills necessary for maintaining safe mining operations. Employees have also reportedly raised concerns regarding the condition and maintenance of benches and artificial mounds used in hauling operations, as well as the availability of visibility markers and reflectors in operational areas.
“CNRG is deeply concerned by reports suggesting deteriorating occupational health and safety conditions at the mine,” the organisation said.
The watchdog further noted that efforts to obtain clarification from Bikita Minerals regarding the incidents and broader workplace safety concerns were unsuccessful before publication of its statement.
The latest incidents come against the backdrop of previous safety-related concerns raised at the lithium mine. In August 2025, dump truck operator Farai Murimoga Mutsvange died after being struck by another haulage truck, while a separate blasting incident left three children seriously injured. CNRG has previously expressed concern over what it describes as a pattern of safety failures at the mine.
In response to the latest fatalities, CNRG is calling for:
* An immediate independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding both deaths;
* A comprehensive occupational health and safety audit of Bikita Minerals’ operations;
* Increased oversight by the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development;
* Public disclosure of investigation findings;
* Immediate corrective measures to address any identified safety shortcomings; and
* Fair compensation for affected families should investigations determine that inadequate safety standards contributed to the fatalities.
“Every worker has the right to a safe working environment and to return home safely at the end of each shift,” CNRG said.
The organisation warned that as Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen its position in the global lithium market, worker safety and human dignity must remain central to the country’s mining ambitions.
