JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – A claim against Asa Resources, brought by Zindico Consortium, which seeks to compel the mine and its partners to indigenise its Freda Rebecca gold mine, in Zimbabwe, has no merit, the company said on Tuesday.
Earlier this month, the company and its Mwana Africa, Freda Rebecca Holdings, National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board, and Ministry of Youth Development Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment partners, were served with a claim in the High Court of Zimbabwe by Zindico.
“We have instructed our legal team in Zimbabwe to file opposing papers,” Asa noted, adding that mining operations at Freda Rebecca would continue as normal with no expected disruptions as a result of the claim.
In a statement earlier this month, Asa noted that Zindico’s claim appeared to be based on a two-year old draft, unsigned agreement which, if signed, would have been conditional upon the approval of the directors of Mwana Africa.
“The draft agreement was apparently negotiated by Kalaa Mpinga, the then CEO of Mwana Africa, who appears never to have submitted it for approval to its board of directors,” said Asa.
The alleged claim sought implementation of the draft, unsigned, agreement in relation to implementation of Zimbabwean indigenisation laws.