Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected]
NEARLY one million people are facing a potential public health disaster over widespread cyanide contamination of critical water sources in the Umzingwane catchment, triggering an urgent, high-level response to what authorities describe as an existential threat to humanity.
The Government has since ordered immediate and co-ordinated action to address the issue, which is being blamed on rampant illegal gold mining activities, as well as some formally licensed operators allegedly abusing cyanide in gold extraction processes.
The Umzingwane catchment supplies drinking water to three local authorities — Bulawayo, Umzingwane District and Insiza District — making the unfolding situation a major threat to both urban and rural populations, including livestock and wildlife.
Despite the region receiving normal to above-normal rainfall during the current agricultural season, most supply dams in the catchment remain below 50 percent capacity.
Authorities say this anomaly points to severe environmental degradation, including siltation and pollution of water bodies caused by mining activities.
Addressing journalists after a closed-door stakeholders’ meeting at the Bulawayo City Council chambers on Wednesday, Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, said Government will convene an inter-ministerial meeting by Monday to map out a decisive and enforceable response.
“The meeting we just had follows an alarm raised by the city mayor, Councillor David Coltart, over widespread environmental degradation affecting rivers, wetlands and critical water sources supplying both urban and rural communities, as well as livestock in the catchment area,” said Minister Garwe.
The meeting brought together stakeholders from the three affected local authorities, traditional leaders, security services and various Government departments. Also in attendance was Umzingwane legislator and Deputy Minister of Defence, Brigadier-General Levy Mayihlome (Retired).
“Bulawayo has a population of over 800 000 people and, combined with the two other local authorities — Umzingwane and Insiza — we are looking at over 900 000 people, including livestock and wildlife, who are at real danger of cyanide poisoning because of these irresponsible miners,” said Minister Garwe.
He said the planned inter-ministerial intervention — involving the Ministries of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage; Environment and Climate Change; Mines and Mining Development; and Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development — will prioritise a crackdown on illegal mining, strict enforcement of environmental regulations and the protection of water sources that are critical to the region’s survival.
Minister Garwe said traditional leaders who attended the meeting raised grave concerns over the destruction of sacred sites, warning that the unchecked mining activities were eroding cultural heritage and community identity.
“It is now decimating our streams and rivers, depositing cyanide into these water bodies, which eventually finds its way into dams. This is a serious threat to humans, livestock and wildlife,” he said.
Minister Garwe said some of the mining operations were also threatening the integrity of the Great Dyke, with both small-scale miners and larger operators accused of disregarding Environmental Impact Assessment reports issued by the Environmental Management Agency, as well as guidance from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) and local authorities.
The environmental damage, officials warned, could have long-term consequences on water security, agriculture and biodiversity in the region if urgent corrective measures are not implemented.
“We want to apply Statutory Instrument 188 of 2024, which banned riverbed mining. We want law enforcement agencies to act with urgency,” said Minister Garwe.
Brig-Gen Mayihlome (Rtd) said a whole-of-Government and multi-stakeholder approach was the only viable path to ending the crisis.
