Vusumuzi Dube
Johnsias Mutonhori
Correspondent
THE Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in the Midlands Province has intensified its war against sand poachers to stop the massive land degradation in the outskirts of Gweru that has created gullies that endanger people and livestock.
Since the beginning of this year, EMA has arrested 25 sand poachers mainly from Ngamo Dam and aerodrome areas in the north east of Gweru. Speaking during a site visit at Ngamo Dam areas yesterday, Midlands Province EMA public relations and communications officer, Mr Oswald Ndlovu said they were putting in place tight measures to curb the continued sand poaching activities that were now threatening farming activties and the environment.
“As you can see here at Ngamo Dam and the aerodrome areas, there is massive illegal activities of river, pit and silver sand poaching which is leading to massive land degradation and it’s quite disturbing. Closer to Ngamo Dam, these activities already are a threat to the dam and aquatic life through continuous siltation. Farming activities have also been disturbed including reports of cattle falling into pits left by these poachers in these areas. As EMA we are going to engage every stakeholder to put these activities to an end. We are also planning to engage the police so that we can work together for regular site visits,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu said people who were into sand business should approach local authorities for licences and allocation of the right places to mine the sand.
“Those who are into sand abstraction must approach council to get permission to do so legally and also come to EMA for the transportation licenses. I would also like to encourage everyone to participate in the conversation of the environment and protect our land as stipulated in the National Development Strategy 1,” he said.
Mr Tawanda Jira, a farmer near Aerodrome Farm said they were now forced to look after their cattle all year round to protect them from falling into the pits.
“These poachers are doing as they please in our area and our greatest worry is that our cattle might fall in the ditches and gullies. As a result, we are now forced to herd our cattle all year round. These activities are also eating the grazing land. I hope the authorities are going to intervene and stop this menace,” he said.
A sand poacher, Sumaili Nyasha, who was caught at the site and was issued with a fine ticket, said it was difficult for most sand miners to quit as sand abstraction was their only means of survival.
“Right now we are being prohibited to go to Ngamo for sand, we are arrested and fined, I recently got a US$300 dollars ticket and that is too much but if I quit I won’t eat. I may find myself in the streets.
So, I am going to mine sand and get the money to pay that fine.
“We are not fighting EMA, and I understand the legal process but at times you can find it expensive for us to acquire licenses,” he said.
Sand poachers are becoming preferred sand suppliers in Gweru due to their low prices compared to those offered by licensed sand dealers.
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