Abstract
M.A.
Zimbabwe has been struggling to combat poverty and foster community development for more than a decade. Between the years 2006 and 2009, Zimbabwe’s economy was in a shambles, there was hyperinflation and the unemployment rate was astronomical. It is the same period when diamonds were discovered in Chiadzwa, with formal mining starting in 2010. Chiadzwa is generally a drought prone area, and the people of Chiadzwa are heavily dependent on hunting, farming drought-resistant crops and donor organisations for survival. It is against this background that the community of Chiadzwa expected to benefit from the mining companies. One of the ways they expected to benefit was through corporate social responsibility (CSR). Literature has shown that in developing countries, CSR is largely voluntary and generally communities do not always benefit. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of Mbada Diamonds Company’s (MD) CSR projects on the Chiadzwa community. The research adopted a qualitative research approach as it sought to understand how such CSR programmes have impacted on the Chiadzwa people. The research design was a case study of MD. The researcher made use of purposive sampling and simple random sampling to identify research participants who were then interviewed in an in-depth fashion. The participants included community key informants and villagers. The study contextualised how communities can be impoverished if mine owners do not engage in some sort of CSR programmes. The qualitative data obtained from the semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation and pictures showed that MD has had a minimal impact on the Chiadzwa community both in terms of infrastructure development and sustainable projects. The brand of CSR being implemented by MD is merely to buy social license and is not sustainable as it is limited to mainly erratic food donations.
The CSR in the mining industry in Zimbabwe is motivated by establishing legitimacy rather than sustainable development. The research used the legitimacy theory to explain the brand of CSR being implemented in Chiadzwa. The study makes a case that if MD regarded the Chiadzwa community as a stakeholder, the community would benefit more. The study proposed better implementation of CSR by regarding the Chiadzwa community as a primary stakeholder...