Government to form audit teams to ensure mining compliance

Nokuthaba Brita Ncube, [email protected]

THE Government has announced plans to establish audit teams comprising various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as part of responsible mining initiatives to ensure compliance with the country’s laws and curb illegal mining.

The mining sector is central to the attainment of the country’s vision to become an upper-middle-income economy by 2030, hence the Government’s commitment to increase oversight over all mining activities in the country to curb malpractices.

In the 2025 National Budget statement, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, noted that the flagrant violation of mining and environmental laws has resulted in unethical mining practices, causing financial loss and environmental degradation.

He said that the Government will intensify awareness and enforcement of the responsible mining initiative to ensure compliance with the country’s laws and curb illegal mining.

“As part of the implementation of this initiative, the Government will also establish audit teams, comprising various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), including Mines and Mining Development, Environment, Climate and Wildlife, as well as Local Government and Public Works, to conduct thorough investigations into mining operations, to assess the activities of mining companies and identify any non-compliant mining activities,” he said.

Mining is one of Zimbabwe’s key economic sectors, accounting for 73 percent of foreign direct investment, 83 percent of exports, 19 percent of Government revenue, two percent of formal employment and 11 percent of individual incomes.

The Responsible Mining Audit instituted by the Government into the operations of mining companies revealed mixed findings regarding the conduct of mining companies in their operations in 2023.

According to the findings, medium to large-scale miners were found to be operating within the confines of the law, while some small-scale miners have been accused of violating the country’s laws.

The initiative was conducted countrywide between May and June last year to establish if mining companies were complying with requirements relating to the submission of production returns as required by law.

Amid growing concerns over the contribution of unsustainable mining and land degradation, the Government will next year promulgate a policy to compel mining companies to disclose their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) plans before obtaining mining title. The policy move, which is in line with international best practices, is aimed at addressing ESG concerns due to mining activities’ impact on climate change.