Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]
THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Mines and Mining Development has voiced serious concerns regarding the mismanagement of the Bubi Milling Centre, a facility established in 2018 to benefit small-scale miners and the wider community.
Funded to the tune of US$3,5 million, the centre was created after Bubi Small Scale Miners Association petitioned the Government for financial support, resulting in a partnership with the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC). The ownership structure allocated 60 percent of shares to ZMDC and 40 percent to the local community.
During a visit on Friday by the portfolio committee chaired by Honourable Saul Maburutse, the current state of the gold processing facility revealed a complete cessation of operations. This led parliamentarians to question whether the site had been abandoned altogether.
In an interview during the visit, Mr Benjamin Ndlovu, secretary of the Bubi Small Scale Miners Association, stated that since its inception, the facility has failed to operate at full capacity, thus failing to fulfil its mandate to create local jobs and empower small-scale miners in the district.
“There was a clear agreement between ZMDC and the Bubi Small Scale Miners Association that upon commencement of operations, the shareholding would be 60 percent for ZMDC and 40 percent for the miners in the district, derived from the processing of the mine dump. However, the construction of the milling centre was substandard.
“The crushing machinery failed to function for even a week, and subsequent attempts by the contractor to rectify the issue were unsuccessful. Funds earmarked for processing sand were diverted to purchase new machinery, resulting in the project failing to meet its intended objectives,” Mr Ndlovu said.
Despite the project’s aim to empower small-scale miners, Mr Ndlovu lamented that the centre only managed to support three out of the targeted ten miners per year. He further stated that the project was intended to provide crucial training to local miners on improving production, enhancing their capabilities, and adopting best mining practices to facilitate their progression from small to medium and large-scale operations.
Mr Ndlovu also highlighted the procurement of equipment, including trucks for ore transportation and seven compressors intended for distribution to small-scale miners, some of which were never delivered.
In response, Mr Voster Mamvura, ZMDC’s business development manager, confirmed that equipment was purchased, but the supplier only delivered one tractor and three compressors. He stated that legal proceedings were now underway due to the supplier’s failure to fulfil the order.
He also acknowledged management’s concerns regarding the difficulty in securing ore for processing, citing intense competition in the area.
However, management indicated they were actively pursuing new partnerships with other mining associations, aiming to secure ore for processing at the facility to ensure its continued operation.
Honourable Maburutse expressed the committee’s dissatisfaction and emphasised the need for thorough follow-ups.
“We visited this area with the understanding that the Bubi Milling Centre was built using Government funds. We wanted to ascertain whether it was still operational. What we discovered was a project that appears to have been abandoned, as there is no activity taking place.
“The management even arranged for the site to be cleaned in anticipation of our visit, attempting to create a false impression of activity. However, it is clear that nothing is happening. Local residents informed us that numerous promises made during the facility’s setup were not fulfilled.
“For instance, they were promised a 40 percent shareholding, which they have not received, and equipment was purchased but not delivered. Something is clearly amiss,” he said.
He stressed the importance of rigorous oversight of Government-funded projects to ensure they deliver the intended outcomes.
ZMDC facilitated a US$3,5 million loan from Fidelity Gold Refinery for the procurement of machinery and mining consumables for the centre.
Honourable Maburutse confirmed that the loan had been repaid. However, parliamentarians were left with lingering questions, as the output did not appear to align with the repaid loan, raising suspicions of under-declaration of proceeds.
Consequently, the committee has summoned the Bubi Milling Centre management to Parliament for further discussions regarding the project.
