Declaration of National Monument Herbert's Mine, Matumba Monument
Herbert's Mine at Matumba Six in Mutasa South, Manicaland, is declared a national monument covering 16,920 hectares — mining, excavation and development on the site now need heritage clearance.
The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage has declared Herbert's Mine, Matumba Six, a national monument.
The site is in Mutasa South District, Manicaland Province, at the foot of Chiremba Mountain, roughly 2.5 km south of the Old Odzi–Mutare Road, on map sheet 1832 D3 of the Surveyor-General's 1:50 000 series.
The declared area is 16,920 hectares. Its boundary is a four-sided figure starting at grid reference VQ 539 127, running north-east 358.15m to VQ 542 128, south-east 454.36m to VQ 543 124, south-west 445.00m to VQ 539 123, and north-west back to the start.
Once declared, the site falls under the National Museums and Monuments Act. Excavating, altering, damaging or removing anything from the monument, and developing within its boundary, require the authority of National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe. That is significant here because the site is a former mine — anyone with mining or prospecting interests in the area needs to check whether their claims fall inside the boundary.
One drafting slip to be aware of: the final leg of the boundary is written out in words as "four hundred and fifteen comma five four metres" but given in figures as 455.54m. The two do not agree, and the figure should be confirmed against the survey diagram before relying on it.
What changed
- Herbert's Mine, Matumba Six is declared a national monument
- The protected area covers 16,920 hectares in Mutasa South District, Manicaland
- The boundary is fixed by four grid reference points beginning at VQ 539 127
Who this affects
- miners and claim holders in Mutasa South District
- landowners and occupiers near Chiremba Mountain
- National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe
- Mutasa Rural District Council
- developers and contractors in the Odzi–Mutare area
Plain-language summary — not legal advice. Always read the full instrument.