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mining operations have caused suffering on the people and their livestock yet they are not benefiting anything.
Presenting their grievances to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy, which had toured their area on Friday last week, the villagers said their livestock mainly cattle and goats were falling in the open mine pits that have been dug by the company leading to fatalities.
“We are happy that Parliament who are the law makers are here. Please remove Zimasco from our area.
“We are tired of them and their cruelty.
“Our cattle are dying in the open pits that have been left open since 1991.
“Only a few weeks ago we lost one of us after that person fell in the open pits at night while looking for his cattle.
“Another one was seriously injured when a scotch cart that was being towed by cattle at night fell in these pits.
“The company is not employing our children.
“Instead over the years they have been bringing truck loads of workers from Bulawayo and other towns to do simple work such as digging.
“We understand that under indigenisation only experts and skilled mining personnel can be brought from outside, so now we do not know what is happening,” said another villager.
Another visibly angry villager accused parliamentarians of making and passing useless laws that are never adhered or observed.
“Now that you parliamentarians are here let me tell you that the laws you are making are very useless because they are not being followed here.
“We wonder what you are doing there in Harare.
“Your laws are starting and ending in the air, people here are not observing them.”
Chief Collen Mapanzure said he once instructed the company to stop mining in his area in protest over its mining methods but after just an hour his homestead was besieged by Ministry of
Mines officials, police officers, and other security officials who told him what he had done was illegal.
“They told me what I had done was unheard of.
“They said my actions were tantamount to sabotaging the country’s economy and after that I am now afraid and do not even know what to do.
“Children in my area are walking up to 15 kilometres to attend school, teacher’s houses are made of thatched grass and each time it rains we see a mass exodus of teachers from our area,” he said.
Zimasco mining systems manager Mr Sunny Kalenjeka who was present at the public hearing acknowledged that his company had not done anything for the community for all the years it has been operating there.
“These villagers in their great numbers cannot lie that our company is just exploiting minerals while doing nothing about reclaiming the environment or to assist the community.
“On behalf of my company we are very sorry for the loss of lives and animals. I will present all your grievances to the authorities who will take corrective measures,” he said.
Online Reporter