Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu ,[email protected]
VILLAGERS from Nsindi area in Gwanda District have been severely affected by illegal gold mining activities as gold panners have invaded their homes in search of the precious mineral.
The gold panners are operating about 5km out of Gwanda Town along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge highway and near a railway line that passes through the area.
The illegal panners who usually operate at night are digging for gold next to the railway line and underneath it.
Villagers said the panners would be armed with machetes and threaten to attack them whenever confronted over their illegal activities.
Despite a police base having been established in the area to curb illegal mining activities, the panners are undeterred as they are continuing with their illegal mining.
Some villagers have relocated from their homesteads because of the damage caused by illegal gold panners.
Matabeleland South Provincial Development Committee (PDC) has since set up a task force to deal with the matter, and it is chaired by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
Mr Madela Moyo said the gold panners recently invaded his homestead.
He said when he tried to confront them, they threatened to kill him.
“For years, these illegal gold panners have been a thorn in our flesh. They come in numbers during the night to conduct their illegal activities. I remember, one night they invaded my homestead and started digging for gold and when I confronted them they threatened to kill me,” he said.
“These illegal gold panners have caused a lot of damage to our area. Just outside my homestead are numerous pits that have been left by the illegal gold panners. We have lost some of our livestock after they fell into the pits and got trapped.”
Mr Moyo said they have reported the matter to the police on several occasions, but the illegal panners seem to evade the law enforcement agents.
Another villager, Mr Manager Mleya said it is their hope to see the problem of illegal gold panners being resolved once and for all.
He said the presence of illegal panners is a major threat to the community as villagers are living in fear of being attacked and robbed.
“As we speak the railway line is under threat and it could collapse as the illegal gold panners are digging underneath it. There is really a need for authorities to act now before the situation gets out of hand,” said Mr Mleya.
Water points in Matabeleland South province have also become a hotspot for illegal mining activities posing a threat to humans and animals.
These illegal mining activities severely affect the environment as they lead to contamination of water bodies, siltation of rivers and dams, pollution of water and land, and deforestation.
Panning along river banks is highly risky as the soil is heavily saturated with water and is rendered weak.
EMA’s Matabeleland South provincial manager, Mr Descent Ndlovu said the establishment of the task force on illegal panning will go a long way in addressing the challenge.
He said addressing the challenge of illegal gold panning requires a multi-stakeholder approach.
“The task force on illegal mining which we are chairing as EMA has various stakeholders such as the police and the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development among others. We will sit down as a task force and come up with a roadmap on how we will address this problem of illegal gold panning,” said Mr Ndlovu.
“We need to come up with strategies and implement them collectively. The illegal panners are causing severe damage to the environment and whenever they spot us, they flee,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu said illegal mining activities along rivers have a negative impact on the environment such as contamination of water bodies and siltation of dams.
Matabeleland South police spokesperson, Inspector Loveness Mangena said they deployed the ZRP Support Unit and the mounted unit to the area following concerns over illegal gold panning activities that are rampant in Nsindi.
She said the crackdown has yielded positive results as some illegal miners have been arrested while others continue to evade the police.
Online Reporter