Midlands expects to up mineral production

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief

ZANU-PF Midlands province has applauded the Government’s principled stance on insisting on beneficiation in the mining sector, a development credited for the setting up of the US$62 million Unki Mines Platinum Refinery in Shurugwi.

According to the 2019 Zanu-PF Midlands annual report, mineral production in the province is expected to increase and continue to grow annually towards the $12 billion target.

“The province is on course to meet mineral production targets particularly key minerals such as chrome, diamonds and platinum where high production levels were registered during the period under review. The Midlands province applauds the Government’s principled stance on insisting on beneficiation in the mining sector. The province witnessed the setting up of the US$62 million Unki Mines Platinum Refinery in Shurugwi,” reads part of the report.

Construction of the processing plant commenced in 2016 as the company heeded Government’s call for value addition and beneficiation of the country’s natural resources.

“These listed ventures also invested in the Midlands province. Sino Zimbabwe Cement Company during the period under review opened a Multi-million-dollar brick venture, DCK (bakeries), Jinan (expansion programmes), Pac Star (asbestos roofing sheets), “ZimAlloys (Furnace rebuilding), Xin Yi (expansion programme) and Bata (opening a new leather store),” reads the report.

On social service and poverty reduction, the province urged the Government to make it mandatory for every ward in the country to have at least one clinic, one primary school and one secondary school, while each of the eight administrative districts should have a vocational training centre to empower the youths.

“Private Voluntary Organisations’ thrust should be on capacity building instead of giving handouts. The province calls on Government to emphasise on this thrust when licensing PVO’s/ NGO’s. Our people should not be given fish but should be taught how to fish as this improves their livelihoods. We want to do away with the dependency syndrome,” reads the report.

The country, the report says, should incentivise the use of solar energy for domestic purposes and avail more grid electricity to industry and commerce to maximise production.

“This will avail grid electricity for industry and commerce. Roads should be attended to during the dry season which is likely to increase production in the industries that depend solely on electricity,” reads part of the report.

On the provincial party statistics, the report notes that there are 713 040 members in the province coming from 563 party districts, 2 984 branches and 13 677 cells or villages.