adminConrad Mwanawashe Business Reporter
ARTISANAL miners have said Government should reclaim unused mining blocks held by corporates as they believe that the claims are being held for speculative purposes.
The artisanal miners, meeting in Harare to brainstorm on ways to improve their working environment, said Government should instead give the claims to the small-scale miners who have since become a vital cog in mining’s contribution to the fiscus.
Small-scale miners produced a strong contribution to Zimbabwe’s gold deliveries resulting in a 34,2 percent jump to 13 211 kilogrammes in the eight months to September compared to the same period last year.
Statistics released by the Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis and Research Unit, economic barometer volume 18, small-scale gold miners registered a commanding 114 percent increase in deliveries to 5 183kg, translating to 28,2 percent of deliveries since January.
Seeing their contribution to the fiscus rising, the small-scale miners now want Government to put in place structures that will help them get organised and gain more recognition so that they contribute more to the economy.
At a meeting organised by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance in Harare last Friday, the miners agreed on a raft of recommendations which they hope to present to the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Walter Chidhakwa.
They recommended that Government sets up a one-stop-shop for licences, fees and related paperwork for registering mining claims.
“It is cumbersome to be shuttling from one ministry to the other and from one office to the other for the various licencing requirements. We recommend that Government sets up a one-stop-shop under the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development for convenience,” the miners said.
They also want Government to set up vocational training centres for artisanal miners and to make training mandatory before one is granted a mining permit.
The training should include environmental management, land rehabilitation, licencing requirements and financial management.
The miners recommended the reduction of the licencing fees they pay to the Environmental Management Agency and other Government departments.
“Government should also enforce laws that criminalise child labour. We do not want bad apples who abuse children in our sector,” they said.
Some of the challenges the small- scale miners aired include, but are not limited to, lack of equipment, lack of health and safety training and capital challenges.
Online Reporter