Bulawayo sets up taskforce to tackle illegal mining and sand poaching

STAKEHOLDERS in Bulawayo have resolved to establish a Provincial Taskforce to confront the escalating problem of illegal mining and sand poaching in and around the city.

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) on Tuesday convened a multi-stakeholder meeting involving the Bulawayo City Council, Zimbabwe Republic Police, Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, residents’ associations, sand transporters, the Forestry Commission and the media to discuss the issue and map out a co-ordinated response.

During the meeting, EMA revealed that 10 illegal mining sites and seven sand poaching hotspots had been identified across Bulawayo, posing threats to schools, residential areas, roads and water infrastructure.

The proposed taskforce is expected to be operational by March. The development comes amid growing concerns that illegal miners and sand poachers are endangering communities, with some reportedly becoming increasingly violent. In 2015, a council ranger was killed after being attacked by sand poachers.

In their presentations, stakeholders pledged firm action. EMA Bulawayo provincial manager, Mrs Sithembisiwe Ndlovu, said urgent, united intervention was essential.

“We’re gathered here because illegal gold mining and sand poaching has become serious environmental challenges in the province. These activities not only degrade our environment but also pose a significant risk to our local communities. This problem demands collaboration, intelligence sharing, strengthened enforcement, community engagement and clear operational strategies,” she said.

Mines and Mining Development Matabeleland North Provincial Inspector for mines and explosives, Engineer Ronald Makuvatsine, reminded attendees that Bulawayo Metropolitan Province is a reserved area where mining is banned within the surveyed limits of any urban settlement or within a 50-metre buffer outside such limits.

Engineer Makuvatsine said several factors complicated the fight against the illegal activities, including political interference, inadequate resources and legislative ambiguities. He added that security needed to be tightened and disused or underutilised areas should be properly managed.

Speaking during the meeting, Bulawayo City Council senior parks warden under the Lands Inspectorate Sub Section, Mr Mthabisi Moyo, said several hotspots continued to experience illegal mining.

He cited New Parklands, Khumalo Pit, Emhlangeni and Killarney, while sand poaching remained rife in Cowdray Park, Pumula North, Emganwini and peri urban villages such as St Peters, Robert Sinyoka and Methodist.

“Council has come up with two legal pit sand extraction sites at Mazwi Hide Park Estate and St Marries in Khami for residents to collect pit sand. These are strategies we have introduced to minimise sand poaching. Part of our challenges to address this include manpower and tools of trade because the city is growing,” he said.

Mr Moyo said enforcement teams had sustained injuries during operations, as some illegal miners and poachers had turned violent. He said certain illegal gold panners also had outstanding criminal cases and therefore resisted arrest aggressively.

Zimbabwe Republic Police Bulawayo Suburban District Officer Commanding Crime, Superintendent Susan Macheza, called for stronger collaboration among all parties to effectively curb the activities. She also highlighted the level of danger posed by the illegal miners.

“Illegal miners are dangerous and need us to be well equipped and to have enough resources like motor vehicles to transport manpower. Some of them are armed hence we need each other if we are to win the war. During raids and operations we need to have one strategy to avoid some of the challenges we face,” she said.

Supt Macheza said raids were often difficult because many illegal operations were conducted at night. She also urged communities to stop aiding the miners.

“Residents must assist us and stop providing shelter for them. You must not aide them to evade arrests because they also commit other crimes like rape and murder. We must stop this menace,” she said.
-@themkhust