A public notice issued by Freda Rebecca Gold Mine on 30 January 2026 has drawn increasing scrutiny from governance specialists and mining contractors, following the announcement of what the company describes as an "artisanal miner drive", characterised by an unusual appointment and unconventional payment directives.
The notice announced the appointment of Angel Mpofu-Chisvo as "Freda Rebecca Gold Mine Phoenix Prince Artisanal Miners Project Manager"; an obscure and previously unfamiliar title within the mining sector.
More strikingly, the same notice directed that all payments by artisanal miners and contractors be made to Mpofu-Chisvo, or as directed by her, rather than through conventional corporate finance channels.
At the same time, Mpofu-Chisvo is understood to be asserting before the courts that her contractual relationship with Botha Gold Mine was never terminated and continues to subsist, forming the basis of ongoing litigation in which she seeks reinstatement or continued recognition as a Botha contractor.
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Governance observers say the juxtaposition is notable: an individual claiming an extant contractual relationship with one mining operation while assuming a senior, payment-facing role within a competing entity raises questions of judgment and potential conflicts that merit careful scrutiny.
Governance specialists say the payment arrangement itself is highly unusual for a corporate mining company that publicly claims adherence to international standards and operates a fully staffed finance and accounting department.
"Centralising payment authority in a single individual, outside standard corporate receipting, segregation of duties and audit controls, is fundamentally inconsistent with accepted governance practice," said one governance analyst.
Industry observers note that standard corporate practice ordinarily requires contractor payments to flow through controlled company accounts, supported by formal invoicing, receipting, reconciliation and independent oversight.
Departing from these norms, particularly in a contested operational environment, raises legitimate questions about accountability, auditability and contractor protection should disputes later arise.
Adding to the unease, governance analysts say Freda's decision to place an individual reported to be facing criminal charges linked to disputes at Botha Gold Mine into a sensitive, cash-handling role is itself a questionable exercise of corporate judgment.
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While such matters remain under investigation and are subject to due process, observers note that senior appointments involving financial control are typically expected to withstand heightened scrutiny, especially amid active civil and criminal proceedings.
Contractors say the payment directive has generated anxiety, particularly in the absence of clear information on how funds would be formally receipted, reconciled or protected in the event of future disputes.
"What worries people is not just who is collecting the money," said one contractor, "but what proof we will have later and who carries the risk if things change."
The concerns arise against the backdrop of ongoing legal disputes affecting the same mining ground, heightening fears that contractors could later be exposed to claims of non-payment, double payment or unauthorised remittance.
As scrutiny intensifies, governance experts say the episode underscores the importance of clear financial controls, transparent systems and the careful management of conflicts, perceived or actual, particularly where artisanal miners' livelihoods intersect with contested mining rights and unresolved litigation.
Efforts to get a comment from Mpofu- Chisvo or Freda Rebecca were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.
