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Ishemunyoro Chingwere
Mimosa Mining Company executive, Elizabeth Nerwande, has been re-elected Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe (CoMZ) president for a second and final term at the chamber’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) unopposed.
The CoMZ is the country’s biggest representative body for the country’s mines.
Also returning is her entire executive committee of Engineer Demand Gwatinetsa (vice president), Colin Chibafa (vice president) and Batirai Manhando (immediate past president) who also made it unopposed.
The new executive returns at a time when the mining sector and the economy at large is grappling the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is posing a huge threat to global economies and mining sector viability in the face of depressed demand for metals.
With the threat of Covid-19 hovering, Nerwande said it is incumbent upon the mining sector to come on board and support efforts meant to curtail the spread and impact of the disease.
“As miners, it is in our interest to support the health sector to safeguard ourselves and the nation at large,” said Nerwande in a statement.
“We continue to put in place contingency measures directed at ensuring minimal disruption towards production, whilst continuing to safeguard the health of our employees.
“We have had to streamline health and safety policies in line with coronavirus regulations as well as investing resources for protection of citizens. Mining companies have had to play a delicate balancing act in light of Covid-19.
“On one hand, we have had continued operations to protect national foreign currency inflows needed to oil critical sectors and imports, whilst on the other hand ensuring employees and the general public are protected,” she said.
Having assumed office last year, the Nerwande led executive has had its plate full as the mining sector has been grappling with a number of challenges among them production crippling power cuts, inadequate foreign exchange allocations among others.
Mining is one of the key pillars with which Government is seeking to leverage economic revival and growth together with other sectors like agriculture, tourism and manufacturing.
Under the 2023 milestone, it is expected to grow its exports revenue from US$2, 7 billion achieved in 2017 to US$12 billion.
Government, through the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, has also prioritised stakeholder engagements with mining houses operating in the country through the chamber.
It is through these engagements that the parties have also agreed on the “use it or lose it” principle under which mining title holders will lose their claim if they do not develop or put these assets into production.
Bongani Ndlovu