Chronicle Editor
Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development has called on small-scale miners to give input into the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, which is set to be re-tabled in the August House soon.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa declined to give his assent to the Bill and referred it back to the legislature citing reservations on some sections of the Bill, which he felt were in violation of the Constitution.
Speaking during a small-scale mining conference organised by the Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation (ZMF) in Bulawayo last week, the chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee, Mr Temba Mliswa, said: “Certainly, there is going to be a presentation in two weeks where we will be dealing with the Bill. As chairman of the Portfolio Committee, we are saying to you, we are tired of you coming up with brilliant ideas afterwards, we cannot entertain that.
“We are going to invite everybody to contribute whether in person or in black and white on what you think needs to be done in the Bill.
“So it’s important that it (Bill) talks to the current situation; how you want mining to be done and we are able to do that so your contributions are critical.”
Mr Mliswa also said the Mining Exploration Bill has been hanging for a long time and it would be on the agenda at the forthcoming all-stakeholders meeting slated for Vumba. It is believed that through the Exploration Bill, the country would be able to give a comprehensive resource evaluation that will pave way for increased investment in the mining sector. Mining is strategic towards accelerated economic growth and wealth creation.
Zimbabwe is endowed with abundant mineral resources such as diamonds, gold, platinum, and lithium reserves among 40 plus different types of minerals.
“The other critical issue for you to understand why the Bill was brought back by the President is because of the farmer-miner relationship.
“The President is a war veteran, he went to war to fight for land and he believes that mining is not sustainable to sustain this country from a GDP point of view. He wants a future for the farmer and the 99-year lease that he gave to the farmer, it’s not a joke.
“So, this is an issue that we have to deal with so the President has put it (Bill) back to us to deal with that as he wants certainty . . . he went to war for land and he is saying there must be clarity,” said Mr Mliswa.
He noted that disputes between farmers and miners have in the past not helped and hence it was critical to have a law that addresses the matter. — @okazunga
derick.khumalo