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In our previous edition we carried a story of a miner whose name was associated with notoriety in the last couple of years.
That was the story of Baron Dube of Esigodini that was involved in shootings and fights over mining claims in Matabeleland South province mostly. He decided to turn his life around and told B-Metro that he was now a changed man following his recent conversion to Christianity.
Gold is such a precious mineral that when mined in an organised manner generates a lot of wealth and uplifts the standards of living of communities. However, artisanal miners have earned a bad name over the years due to the tendency to operate outside the law and the constant fights over the mineral claims. Areas around Esigodini, Filabusi, Gwanda, and even as far as Kwekwe and Shurugwi in the Midlands, among other areas, are known for many small mines and artisanal mining. What has tended to happen in such areas is that these highly mobile populations import new cultures into the areas once they strike gold. One of those cultures is that of violence and general lawlessness by the big spending miners. Prostitution has also tended to follow the gold belt, with many young women lured by the hard currency that the miners, known as omakorokoza, flash around.
We believe that artisanal miners have a big role to play in the economy of the country and that they need to clean up their act so that their trade can earn the respect that it rightfully deserves. Elsewhere in this issue we carry a story of alleged omakorokoza that ran amok at a bar in Magwegwe last weekend and injured patrons and bouncers after a dispute. It is this tag that they need to shake off. We have seen organisations such as the National Aids Council seeking to access such populations with information on HIV transmission and prevention methods and we believe many more organisations can approach these miners with more empowerment initiatives and introduce a new peaceful culture that would make artisanal mining the envy of many. People such as Baron would be a good starting point in creating these pockets of hope that mining can be undertaken peacefully and that people can still be guided by their traditional values even when they strike gold, even when they have a lot of cash. We believe security agencies need to make use of reformed small-scale miners to reach out to others to ensure that these miners respect the laws of the land. We need the proceeds of the gold but may we please do that without spilling any blood, without the notoriety that is now associated with artisanal mining.
Online Reporter