Zimbabwe: China-based Shuntai Holdings is reportedly in a legal battle with Bryden Country School in Chegutu over the construction of a cement plant 497m from its boundary, according to local press.
The Board of Governors said that the company disclosed its plans in February 2025 to objections from the school and parents, with construction still continuing despite a High Court order halting construction. The Board said that there was no supporting documentation for the company to operate, as the area is zoned for education and also hosts a secondary school and university. Bryden said that it lodged multiple objections against Shuntai’s environmental and social impact assessment, which it claims failed to address key health and safety issues, yet the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) granted approval in April 2025. The school has since reportedly taken legal action against the regulator. A High Court judge ruled in July 2025 that Shuntai Holdings was in contempt of the stop-work order, but construction reportedly continues.
In July 2025, Shuntai administration manager Yan Bo confirmed the company has invested US$70m in the project, which is expected to produce 0.8Mt/yr of cement starting in 2026.
