Chronicle Editor
FOR more than six years, Qiniso Ncube (31) from Gwanda District has been working in several mines dotted around Matabeleland South Province and he believes he has acquired vast experience to start his own mining venture.
However, his major challenge is on legally acquiring mining claims as most land is said to be under Exclusive Prospecting Orders (EPOs).
“As a youth with an interest in mining, it’s my desire to have my own claim. From there I wish to expand my mining activities. Unfortunately, when I went to the Ministry of Mines offices they told me that they were not issuing any prospective licences as there is no mining land available,” said Ncube.
Ncube and several small-scale miners in the region are facing the same predicament as they struggle to legalise their operations. They are appealing to the mining authorities to distribute mining claims so that youths and locals can also benefit. About 95 per cent of mining land which hosts potential gold deposits in Matabeleland South is said to be under EPOs. This means the land has been acquired by companies with the capacity to mine at a large scale.
The mining sector is one of the country’s biggest foreign currency earners alongside tobacco. Calls have been made for the government to focus on formalising the small-scale miners as they produce 60 per cent of the gold in the country. Failure to access claims has forced some aspiring miners to engage in illegal mining activities.
Prosper Moyo from Mangwe District said he has given up hopes of formalising his mining activities.
“I don’t bother to register my mining activities anymore because I have failed to obtain a claim on countless occasions. I am always told by mining authorities that there is no land available for prospecting because of EPOs. I have seen it better to engage in illegal activities because authorities are failing us yet they are quick to warn us against illegal mining,” he said.
As an intervention measure, the Mines ministry has engaged multiple claim holders to cede or tribute some of their claims to small-scale miners on a tenure basis.
Siduduzile Masilela who is the treasurer for Simalu Mining Association based in Gwanda said as women in the mining sector, they were struggling to expand their operations citing EPOs.
Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) Matabeleland South provincial chairman, Philemon Mokuele said small-scale miners in the province have travelled as far as Harare in order to meet with EPO holders but have failed.
“There is a need for legislation that guarantees locals a stake in EPOs. Some of these EPO holders are just holding onto the land and not producing. However, they continue to have their licences renewed.”
However, the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Matabeleland South acting Provincial Mining Director, Khumbulani Mlangeni said following a sustained outcry from miners in the region, the Ministry was working on reducing the amount of land under EPOs.
“As an office, we have written to the Mining Affairs Board to reduce the amount of land under EPOs so that people can access mining claims. We have also proposed that all those who submit their applications under EPOs have their hectarage reduced by 25 per cent,” he said. — The Citizen Bulletin
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Londile Moyo