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Many are using the simple pick and shovel to dig for the minerals while the rich hire heavy plant and equipment such as excavators. Gold panning is now rampant all over the country and so is chrome mining. Big mining companies such as Zimasco are contracting small-scale miners to do the mining of chrome ore for them and these miners are leaving a trail of destruction in areas where they have mined.
There is wanton destruction of trees, gullies all over and mountains of dumps. The gold panners have equally destroyed the environment and are threatening rivers with siltation. One just needs to drive along the Gweru-Zvishavane Road to appreciate the magnitude of the problem. The Mapanzure area
in Zvishavane has in fact become dangerous for both people and livestock because of the gullies left behind by the miners. The area has literally been turned upside down and there is virtually no grazing for livestock. The gullies according to Chief Mapanzure recently claimed the life of an 11-year-old girl who drowned in one of the huge pits left behind by the miners.
Chief Mapanzure said he will soon summon Zimasco to his court to answer to charges of causing the girl’s death. The situation obtaining in Zvishavane is similar to what is happening to other parts of the country where mineral deposits have been discovered. The destruction of the environment is just alarming and unless measures are put in place to control mining activities, the country is heading for a major catastrophe. The Environmental Management Agency and the Zimbabwe Republic Police should join hands and put a stop to the wanton destruction of the environment. The miners should be held accountable for any destruction.
It should be the responsibility of the miners to rehabilitate areas destroyed as a result of their mining activities. The negative effects of uncontrolled mining could haunt generations to come. EMA should therefore come up with punitive measures to deal with reckless miners that are after exploiting the minerals with no regard to preservation of the environment.
It can take just days to destroy the environment but its rehabilitation might take several years or might not be possible. We want to appeal to all those involved in mining to be responsible citizens committed to the protection of the environment for the sake of present and future generations. What miners should appreciate is that some of the effects of their activities such as siltation of rivers cannot be reversed. It is in fact selfish to just think of making a quick buck disregarding the long term effects of destroying the environment.
The community leaders such as chiefs should not wait until the damage is done but should instead monitor mining activities in their respective areas to ensure that measures are put in place to minimise damage to the environment.
Community leaders should compel companies or individuals mining in their areas to work on programmes to rehabilitate damaged areas as they conduct their mining activities. The onus is on each and every Zimbabwean to ensure the environment is protected because our livelihoods depend on it.
Online Reporter