Boterekwa faces more harm than good

A task force made up of the Midlands Provincial Joint Operation Command (JOC) and Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has been ordered to visit the Boterekwa escarpment in Shurugwi amid indications that companies are flouting environmental laws leading to unprecedented levels of land degradation.

This was said by the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mangaliso Ndlovu in a briefing that was attended by the Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Larry Mavima, EMA board members led by Ambassador Zenzo Nsimbi and JOC members in Shurugwi yesterday.

Minister Ndlovu was in the mining town to commission the EMA Shurugwi District office.

The Minister noted that the pristine and scenic Boterekwa escarpment is losing its lustre due to uncontrolled open-cast mining causing environmental degradation.

Boterekwa valley is located in the mining town of Shurugwi, 33 kilometres outside the City of Gweru and used to boast of scenic views of a mountainous area endowed with indigenous trees and a waterfall.

Unfortunately, the natural scenic state of freshwater streams and diverse plant and bird species have also been affected by water pollution and land degradation as trees and vegetation in the valley are now covered by heaps of soil dug in the process of gold mining.

The Boterekwa area is now famous for abandoned pits that pose a danger to people and livestock.

For years, in the valleys and at the base of the Boterekwa, gold panners have been scouring for the precious metal thereby inflicting serious damage to the environment.

Environmental degradation has been intensified as locals have partnered foreign companies that are using heavy machinery to mine.

Some companies that were licensed to mine gold are allegedly involved in vat leaching which produces large amounts of waste effluent which are acidic and pollute the environment thereby putting the lives of people and livestock in danger.

The basic principle of vat leaching is leaching the gold from the ore with cyanide solution.

Through opencast mining, some miners have not only destroyed the natural landscape but also exposed part of the escarpment to soil erosion. The mining activities are also polluting water bodies downstream.

Minister Ndlovu said mining companies allegedly flouting environmental laws will be banned from mining gold in the area.

“I want a task force made up of Minister Mavima, Midlands Provincial JOC and EMA to visit the Boterekwa escarpment to assess what is happening because there are reports of companies flouting environmental laws leading to unprecedented levels of land degradation. This week go there because I need a full report. I was attacked in Parliament over the matter and we must get to the bottom of it,” he said.

Minister Ndlovu indicated that the last time he toured the escarpment, he directed mining companies to comply with environmental laws when mining.

“Last time I came I said there must be strict compliance by miners but I hear people are not operating within the law and must stop because we can’t promote lawlessness. Boterekwa is a bad sight at the moment and the situation should be brought under control as soon as possible,” he said.

EMA Midlands provincial manager Mr Benson Basera said the situation at Boterekwa was not a pleasant sight due to mining activities.

In an interview after the briefing, Minister Ndlovu explained that there is a need for miners engaging in open-cast mining to operate within the confines of the law.

“It’s a matter that we need to address because we are confronted mainly with the issue of open-cast mining that has been granted by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and our view is that the way it is being done is doing more harm than good,” he said.

Minister Ndlovu said he was of the view that there is extreme violation of environmental laws which must be stopped. “We have to find out how we can strictly monitor operations and where possible mining companies should be made to undertake rehabilitation work to correct the damage,” he said.

Minister Ndlovu said mining companies in the area had committed to curb environmental degradation and in the event of damage to the environment, the companies made an undertaking to rehabilitate the affected areas.

Minister Mavima said the level of land degradation in Shurugwi as a whole was a cause for concern.

“Midlands province is endowed with minerals which if mined properly will assist the socio-economic development of the country. What is however disturbing is the high levels of land degradation which must be urgently addressed,” he said.

@pchitumba1.