By Sihlobo Bulala
The mining industry has over the years become affiliated with a surge of attacks and violent behavior which has resultantly led to loss of lives and livelihood with some farmers and communities losing their agricultural based lands to artisanal miners. The spiking violence has also in numerous times triggered contempt of the mining practice by communities who stand to lose everything while benefitting nothing as allegations have stormed that the precious minerals only stand to benefit only but a few in the ladder- henceforth maintaining the poor versus the rich disparities.
The Community Youth Development Trust, early this week, held a zoom virtual presentation with varying stakeholders to disseminate knowledge of their findings following a study they conducted to unearth the causes of conflict in resource rich communities.
The study which was conducted in 3 districts in Matabeleland South which include Umzingwane, Gwanda and Matobo unveiled that conflict within resource rich mining areas usually feature players such as the invaders and the locals, the miners due to double allocation, the local government and Ministry of mines, the miners and farmers, the miners and the community at large, tribal conflicts, miners and new mine owners, and the local authority versus miners.
The organisation’s study tabled that the factors triggering these long running conflicts exist within the specs of political, economic and social factors. Economically, the economic meltdown resulting to unemployment, inflation and high cost of living has been a triggering cause for players who come in to overturn farming land into mining pits or take-over of some seemingly rich mining land for control. It is also not a new phenomenon that in some cases the spiking havoc is as a result of an undying patronage economy with politicians and rich business people having been alleged to support or sponsor the mining gangs.
On another note the political capture of the ministry of mines and other structures, centralized governance system, poor coordination between ministry of mines and ministry of local governance, poverty, gender discrimination has led to the scramble for gold which ultimately affect the life of the ordinary citizen.
Participating in the virtual meeting, Paul Matshona, representing Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) revealed that they have experienced that in other mining communities’ violence erupting between miners themselves is also prominent.
“There is violence that occasionally takes place between miners and marauders who in most cases are also miners exploiting poor areas. The marauders often target to steal either money or gold ore from miners and most of them are former miners who have failed to make it in the sector for various reasons such as accumulation of huge debts to middlemen (runners) or due to lack of patience in mining or plain laziness”, he said.
Mr. Matshona further revealed that some marauders are well known highly experienced criminals who are now trying another venture where they expect to get windfalls of money or gold.
“Often, some of them are ex-soldiers and policemen who also work in with corrupt law enforcement agents. They use their prior criminal experience as experts in buying protection from the police and senior politicians. If they are caught, they rely on elaborate networks within the judiciary system. These criminals are the main instigators of violence and have no respect for human life if they smell an opportunity to steal gold”, he further added.
The study further highlighted that contempt of the mining industry by the ordinary citizen is as a result of the prioritization of the mining sector at a global level, where mining supersedes farming, which then eventually influences the worshiping of the sector at a national level. While it was understood that mineral resource rich communities contribute the country’s gross income, it should also be stressed upon that the ordinary citizen survive on agricultural based production.
Dingilizwe Ndlovu, another participant from Matobo district expressed his perception about the impact of mining on the life of the ordinary citizen.
“In Matobo district we had a Mai Gasha who destroyed all our livestock production as she deforested the whole grazing land” he said.
Not only do the mining activities ruin the lives of those who base their living on agriculture, but also surrounding residents stand disturbed of their peace while watching their hard gained properties crumble away. In most cases, the pain experienced by ordinary citizens comes from the fact that most of these land buy outs are done without consultation-yet the residents stand to be affected in a long-term basis.
Another participant from Gwanda district, Constance Maseko said “In Gwanda we have a stamp mill that is close to ward 9 Ultra high suburbs that’s affecting the community as their walls and windows are cracking from the mining activities. Now we have a stamp mill being set up close to Spitzkop north and will obviously bring about the same challenges alongside sound pollution; that being set up without community consultation”.
Ultimately, the long term impact to the environment is felt by locals who suffer long term consequences.
Having noted all these concerns during data collection, the organisation tabled recommendations which can help in dealing with such a catastrophic trend in the mining industry-a trend that not only affects the ordinary citizen but also stands to drive away investors.
The recommendations projected by CYDT include the engagement of stakeholders to find solutions to these conflicts such that they can be in a position to develop a stakeholder specific action plan. Traditional leaders were also identified to be in need of assistance in documenting and creating local miner’s data base.
The organisation also highlighted that there is need to lobby for the speeding up and completion of the mining act that will facilitate adoption of the cadastral system. More so, the organisation’s study recommend that the mining act should recognize traditional leaders as key players especially in licensing process.
Nicholas Ngwenya, another participant recommended that the “Police should set up a permanent base in mining sites so as to protect miners. If they come temporarily the moment they leave violence erupts”.
While it was highlighted that in some cases law enforcers have been caught in the middle of the havoc, it was felt by some participants that communities have to some degree lost faith in the camp manning the law enforcement posts.
“Since issue of conflicts and violence is somewhat linked to corruption, dealing with corruption reduces the extent of violence in the sector”, suggested Mr. Matshona.
Another participant, Runya Chile who concurred with the suggestion added that “To deal with corruption, there’s need to capacitate the locals in holding the police accountable. Report them to superiors so that the police base gain respect”.
The study also further recommended the development of stakeholder skills on conflict resolution and peace building collaborations with organisations like Christian Alliance. In addition, corruption mapping campaigns like ‘I paid a bribe’ were identified to be part of other strategic means that could help erode the culture of corruption. More so, the study recommended that there should be mechanisms which protect local miners should a mine be sold to a new owner.
The Ministry of mines was advised to investigate corruption allegations such as double allocation of claims and publish findings and actions so as to earn public trust. The Ministry of Local Governance was also advised to engage the ministry of mines in a means to address mining allocation issues. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) was advised to investigate corruption allegations especially in the ministry of mines, while the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) should engage stakeholders and raise awareness on peaceful conflict resolution.
Other recommendations include but are not limited to the setting up of ‘miners walk-in’ centers within districts, making fencing of mining areas mandatory, investment in technology such as GIS to map land use in their jurisdiction, develop mechanisms that will make their mining related income and expenditure transparent and investigation of the involvement of police service in corruption and gang related conflicts.
CYDT has been involved in coverage of conflict in the mining sector were they have previously monitored the Khuphuka Mining Cooperative Saga and Thuthuka Women’s Cooperative.
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