Chronicle Editor
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
BULAWAYO councillors once again failed to endorse a request by Bitumen World Private Limited to get a consent letter for the mining of quarry in a piece of land that falls under the jurisdiction of Umguza Rural District Council.
The impasse could, however, see a further delay in rehabilitation works along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road.
BCC reportedly acquired the said piece of land in 2005 and has plans to construct waste water treatment ponds to augment the existing ponds which service Cowdray Park suburb, while Bitumen World got a certificate of registration to establish a quarry mine at the same piece of land in 2021.
Councillors, during a full council meeting had to refer the matter to a closed door session where, according to reports, the councillors once again failed to agree on a united position to take relating to the matter. In their note to council, Bitumen had noted that they had been awarded a tender for the Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road rehabilitation and that the quarry mine was meant for that purpose and was key to their rehabilitation works, hence they should take precedence.
“Since the rehabilitation of the Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road was of national importance as was also key to the development of the City of Bulawayo, the company was then engaged to map a way forward. The meeting was attended by representatives from Bitumen World and engineers from engineering services department and town planning officers.
“It was at this meeting that the engineers from Bitumen World and engineering services agreed that the two uses can fit and co-exist on Lot 1 of Subdivision L of the Helenvale Block. Bitumen World was informed of the need for the company to regularise their occupation of council land,” reads a council report on the matter.
According to the report, it was noted that the acceptance of the application by Bitumen World hinged on the Director of Engineering Services, Engineer Sikhumbuzo Ncube’s assertion that there was adequate land on the said area to accommodate the proposed construction of a conventional waste water treatment plant of design capacity of 16 megalitres a day to service Cowdray Park and the establishment of a quarry mine.
In response, Eng Ncube noted that while endorsing Bitumen’s operations, the company will have to agree to submit to council conditions for blasting and the extraction of quarry of which conditions shall be periodically monitored by the tripartite committee comprising the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, the Environmental Management Agency and BCC to ensure conformity to conditions conducive to sustainable and environmental good mining practices.
“According to the masterplan which was adopted in 2012, the Masterplan recommends the construction of a conventional waste water treatment plant of design capacity of 16ML/day and to be located 1,6km downstream of the existing ponds. Such a plant would occupy a lesser surface area than the original proposed extension of the ponds which was muted when Lot 1 of Subdivision L of the Helenvale Block was acquired in 2004 and thus enabling the remainder of the stand to coexist with the proposed conventional waste water plant,” reads Eng Ncube’s response.
However, in deliberating the matter, some councillors were of the view that the local authority had previously granted a quarry mine in Ward 17 Pumula North with an operating licence but residents were complaining that their properties had been affected by blasting.
“Councillor Felix Madzana noted that residents were complaining about mining activities within their residential areas. He wanted to know where the area was located. Was it far away from residential houses? Who was responsible for compensation if there were any damages caused by these mining activities? The matter should be deferred pending a site visit to establish the facts on the ground.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter