Masvingo bows to pressure over gold mining

George Maponga in Masvingo
Masvingo City Council has bowed to pressure and withdrew consent for mining activities on a range of hills on the ancient city’s outskirts where water supply storage tanks are housed.

There was simmering discontent over the move by the council to allow artisanal mining close to the water storage tanks amid fears they could come worse off from blasting activities and plunge the city into a severe water crisis.

The six water storage tanks have the capacity to store 30 megalitres of water and faced danger from mining activities by encroaching artisanal miners lured by rich gold reefs.

Mayor Collins Maboke says the miners would soon lose their certificates after the city fathers withdrew their consent.

Councillor Maboke disclosed that they expected the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to cancel mining certificates of the artisanal miners to safeguard the storage tanks.