daniel chigunwe
Herald Correspondent
ARTISANAL and small-scale miners under the Newfound Mining Cooperative in Gadzema, Chegutu, have engaged the local leadership to devise mechanisms that will reduce fatal accidents and help transform mining to empower locals.
This follows the recent arrest of 85 panners who had invaded Elvington Gold Mine in Chegutu leading to the recovery of five tonnes of gold ore, equipment and detonators.
The arrests came after the relaunching of a police operations code-named “Chikorokoza Ngachipere/ Isitsheketsha Kasiphele and No to machete-wielding gangs”.
Leaders of the Newfound Mining Cooperative engaged Mr Hillary Runganga, who currently holds a letter of authority and appointment to conduct mining operations at Newfound and Swapo blocks in Gadzema, to look at ways of helping the youths.
The letter authorises Mr Runganga and Mr Thomas Musonza to operate on an artisanal basis, but ensuring safe and responsible mining.
They are also mandated to register other artisanal miners for the purposes of carrying out legal mining activities.
Speaking on the sidelines of a stakeholders meeting attended by the local chief, Zanu PF local leadership, the District Development Coordinator, small scale miners and other stakeholders in Chegutu last Thursday, Zanu PF district coordinating committee secretary for economic affairs Cde Gift Tizora said Newfound Cooperative had done well to solicit sponsorship for local youths in mining.
“Today we are happy to say that the leadership at Newfound Mining Cooperative was able to engage Mr Hillary Runganga who has promised to sponsor mining activities at Newfound and ensure safety for our youths,” he said.
“This initiative is more than welcome in Chegutu as it seeks to create employment for our youths and women. We welcome it with open hands because economic empowerment for our youths and the community at large comes with development for both our economy as well as our town of Chegutu.”
Mr Tizora said it was important for small-scale and artisanal miners to operate legally and promote orderly mining to avoid loss of lives.
“Chegutu has lost a number of youths who died in mine accidents and we hope to work together with Mr Runganga and exercise due diligence in our operations to eliminate increased accidents that have led to injuries and the loss of lives in recent years.”
Speaking at the same meeting, Chief Ngezi, Peter Pasipamire, said the loss of lives owing to mine accidents and the increase in arrests of small scale miners in recent years could be avoided.
“In Chegutu we have lost lives to mine accidents and in some cases bodies were not retrieved. This is mostly due to lack of proper mining equipment and also lack of knowledge in underground mining.
“The coming in of Mr Runganga will help in improving operations at Newfound mine. We hope that our youths may also be empowered,” he said.
Chief Ngezi spoke against machete wielding gangs and called on all youths in mining to shun violence and promote unity in the mining space.
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