Mutapa Gold Resources hits million fatality-free shifts

Published: 36 mins ago

Mutapa Gold Resources says its Freda Rebecca Gold Mine in Mashonaland Central has achieved one million fatality-free work shifts, a milestone the company describes as evidence of strengthened safety standards and improved operational discipline.

The achievement covers a 455-day period without a single work-related death among the mine's workforce, including employees of contracted companies. The mine, which employs about 2 200 people, is one of Zimbabwe's key gold-producing operations.

Company chief executive officer Patrick Maseva-Shayawabaya said the record reflects a significant improvement in safety performance following earlier incidents at the mine.

He noted that between October 2022 and February 2025, the operation recorded four fatalities, but said the most recent period marked a strong turnaround under its "Zero Harm" safety approach.

"Since February 2025, all people working at Freda Rebecca, 2 200 including employees of companies contracted to the company, have worked 1,3 million shifts with no death recorded from accidents at work," he said.

He added that the milestone demonstrates the impact of improved safety practices and collective responsibility among workers and management.

Mutapa Gold Resources, a subsidiary of the Mutapa Investment Fund, operates Freda Rebecca as part of a broader restructuring of state-linked mining assets aimed at improving efficiency and attracting investment.

The mine has been under pressure to maintain high safety standards as production increases in line with national targets to boost mineral exports.

Industry safety benchmarks often measure performance in fatality-free shifts, with a million such shifts regarded as a significant indicator of sustained workplace safety in mining operations.

The Mutapa Investment Fund, which oversees several state-linked enterprises, has been restructuring its mining portfolio into commodity-focused units to enhance performance and attract capital for expansion and beneficiation.

Freda Rebecca produced 3,6 tonnes of gold in 2025, with plans underway to secure funding to extend the mine's lifespan and increase output in the coming years.
- newsday

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