The government recently barred all alluvial and riverbed mining activities with immediate effect, prompting mixed reactions from Matabeleland South small scale miners and residents. Due to prolonged economic meltdown, high unemployment rate and drought being experienced in Mat South, had seen most youths in the province irking livelihood in the small scale gold mining sector, which was mostly alluvial and river bed mining.
Miss Similo Ndlovu from Umzingwane district said the decision to ban alluvial and riverbed mining activities would worsen the challenges faced by citizens, especially the youths.
She warned that the ban of alluvial mining would further plunge the youths into a deep crisis of hunger and would likely force young people to adopt dangerous and illegal ways of finding money as they try to earn a living
The majority of youths are unemployed and the situation was further exacerbated by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in venturing into alluvial mining for survival.
‘The barring of alluvial mining will result in high crime rate, high cases of drug abuse and vulnerable young women opting for prostitution. I feel like Matabeleland province is still being marginalized when it comes to the beneficiation of its locally embedded resources. Many people in the province are suffering while government support is still marginal,’ said Miss Ndlovu.
Miss Ndlovu added that corruption was still a challenge in Matabeleland Province affecting the local communities as the elite, politically connected to offices of influence were benefiting at the expense of the locals.
Some citizens saw the move by to ban alluvial and riverbed mining as positive especially to communities who were frustrated by Chinese alluvial miners who were operating in Insiza and Umzingwane districts.
The Environment, Water and Climate Ministry in 2013 had ordered the cessation of alluvial and riverbed mining operations by Chinese companies in Matabeleland South following massive land degradation and siltation along major rivers in Insiza and Umzingwane districts. However, the Chinese companies continued to operate even up to date.
Most locals in the districts have been complaining of the Chinese companies operations in the province, citing that they do not care about the locals and the environment.
Residents in Mzingwane lamented maltreatment at the hands of the Chinese, who have no care for the welfare of local communities in the areas that they operate in.
“A few months ago, Chinese miners abused workers in Mzingwane. The Chinese miners have also been ignoring our calls to stop alluvial and river bed mining as these activities resulted in water problems because of siltation in our water sources. The call by government to ban with immediate effect, alluvial and river bed mining is somehow good,” a resident who spoke on anonymity said.
‘Alluvial and riverbed mining produces effluent into the river which then results in water pollution. When this happens, people and animals’ lives are at risk as these are our sole water sources,’ added the citizen.
Small scale miners have been lobbying the government to complement their efforts in mineral production, through capacitation on machinery and environmental friendly skills which would boost their production without causing environmental negatives with their operations.
Recent Comments