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Business Reporter
THE Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has directed small-scale miners’ associations to form an umbrella body within the next three months to represent the interests of all the miners’ representative organs.
The directive comes amid concerns that the existing small-scale miners’ representative bodies that emerged after the formation of the Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation by Government in 2003 want the new Minister of Mines and Mining Development Walter Chidhakwa to be their patron.
Small-scale miners representative bodies formed after the ZMF include the Zimbabwe Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Council (Zasmc) and the Zimbabwe Gold Millers Association.
“The small-scale mining industry is now big and the new Minister of Mines and Mining Development (Walter Chidhakwa) has requested that we come under one umbrella body for development sake in the sector.
“For now we have been asked to come up with an interim committee that will be headed by ZMF president Mr Trinos Nkomo. As small-scale miners, we need to speak with one voice on issues that affect us as miners in the sector,” said ZMF first vice president Mr Morgan Moyo.
The interim committee would comprise the secretariat, management and legal structures.
Speaking by telephone from Harare, Mr Nkomo confirmed the development adding that three lawyers, Mr Paul Mangwana, Mr Toendepi Mahaso and Lilian Mugwambe had volunteered to give them legal advice.
He said the directive by Minister Chidhakwa implied that ZMF was intact and he remained the federation’s president.
“The directive does not also mean that these other associations have been disbanded.”
Zasmc board member Mr Charles Chiponda said an interim committee was expected to be formed soon with each of the miners’ associations selecting three members to represent them in the interim committee.
“It is a good idea that we form one umbrella body.
“The interim committee is expected to run for three months before we go for elections to elect the umbrella body’s executive members.
“The Minister of Mines and Mining Development is saying he cannot be the patron of all the associations thus his request for us to form an umbrella body which he will be the patron of,” said Mr Chiponda.
Online Reporter