Gold rush threatens environment

A GOLD rush in Mberengwa District is raising fears of serious environmental damage, with scores of panners, many of them young men recently returned from South Africa, descending on a hilly area in Chief Ngungumbane’s jurisdiction in search of the precious metal.

Villagers this week said Chief Ngungumbane had ordered the panners to stop digging after expressing concern over the scale of environmental destruction being caused as large quantities of soil are excavated and removed in the hunt for gold.

Residents warned that the uncontrolled activities are threatening to cause siltation in water bodies, destroy grazing land and expose livestock to danger through the deep pits being left behind.

However, the panners, many of whom have reportedly abandoned their homes in desperate attempts to earn money for food, are said to have defied the chief’s directive. Their activities have added to a growing list of challenges facing communities in Mberengwa District in Midlands Province.

Another major concern remains the poor state of roads in the district, many of which have gone for years without maintenance.

The main road linking Zvishavane, Garare and Rutenga, where it connects with the Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway, has become a source of frustration for travellers. Buses and smaller vehicles increasingly avoid the route because of its condition, leaving commuters stranded for long periods and often forcing them to rely on overcrowded and sometimes unsafe commuter omnibuses.

According to village sources, a patient being transported to Matibi Hospital, located a few kilometres from the main highway, reportedly died on a scotch cart after delays in accessing medical treatment due to the poor road network.

The road from Zvishavane to Rutenga was only tarred for a short distance beyond the former asbestos mining town to Butchwa Mine, mainly to facilitate the transportation of iron ore from the area. Mining activity has since declined, but much of the remaining route continues to deteriorate.

Villagers are also grappling with a third challenge, the continued loss of livestock to foot-and-mouth disease due to shortages of dipping chemicals.

Residents say many households have lost significant numbers of cattle, leaving some families without animals for draught power or as a source of livelihood.

Only a few villagers who can afford it reportedly purchase dipping chemicals from South Africa to protect their remaining livestock. As a result, concerns are growing that some households may struggle to prepare their fields for the coming farming season regardless of the amount of rainfall received.

The situation has prompted some Zimbabweans to question the role of elected representatives in the district, arguing that communities continue to face poverty and hardship while awaiting lasting solutions to their challenges.

The concerns raised by villagers underline the urgent need for interventions that improve livelihoods in rural areas, where the majority of Zimbabweans live and depend on agriculture and livestock for survival.

The Government’s development mantra, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo”, “Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo”, “A country is built by its own people”, serves as a reminder that national development requires the collective efforts of Government, communities, traditional leaders, businesses and citizens working together to address the challenges affecting rural areas.