Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe in Harare
The Mines and Minerals Bill has been described as a powerful tool with vast potential to empower communities and transform Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector from one characterised by informality and vulnerability into a driver of inclusive and sustainable growth.
This is according to the planetGOLD Zimbabwe report titled “Strengthening the Mines and Minerals Bill – Advancing Reforms for the Benefit of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe,” launched in Harare on Monday.
The launch formed part of the planetGOLD Zimbabwe Annual Stakeholders Conference 2025, held under the theme “Building Together for a Sustainable ASGM Sector.”
“A strengthened Mines and Minerals Bill will transform Zimbabwe’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector from one marked by informality and vulnerability into a driver of inclusive, sustainable growth.
“By addressing definitional gaps, adopting phased and supportive compliance pathways, and embedding protections for women, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups, the Bill can become a genuine instrument of empowerment.
“Such reforms would not only align the legal framework with the lived realities of ASGM actors but also unlock their capacity to contribute to national development, environmental stewardship, and the formal economy,” reads part of the report.
The report further notes that “Going forward, the planetGOLD Zimbabwe project will continue to engage with key stakeholders to support the finalisation and implementation of the Mines and Minerals Bill once enacted.
“The project will provide technical assistance for mercury-free technologies, capacity building for artisanal and small-scale gold miners, and policy support to strengthen formalisation and environmental compliance.
“Policymakers are encouraged to consider the identified priority reforms, such as recognizing artisanal miners, establishing transitional compliance mechanisms, and improving access to support services, as practical measures to unlock the full potential of the ASGM sector for sustainable national development,” the report added.
Londile Moyo