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Rumbidzai Mushonga
Herald Correspondent
Residents of Warren Park 2 and D in Harare have expressed concern over the ongoing gravel mining in Warren Hills, which they say has caused massive environmental degradation.
The mining by over 25 companies appears to be moving too close to a tank which supplies Warren Park D with water as well as a telecommunications base station situated next to the tank.
There are also fears that both facilities might collapse if the ground below them carves in while future heavy rains might cause a landslide, potentially engulfing houses at the base of the hill in Warren Park 2 as well as Warren Hills Cemetery and the Harare Provincial Heroes Acre on the other side.
The issues were brought to light during a tour that was organised by the Residents Against Land Degradation, the Combined Harare Residents Association, and the Network for Environmental and Climate Justice recently.
The tour was led by Mr Nixon Nyikadzino, the Warren Park coordinator responsible for the campaign.
According to the information obtained from the Harare City Council by the residents through an access to information request, there are no formal tenders issued for gravel extraction in the area.
Instead, companies that win construction projects are granted permission to extract gravel from Warren Hills mountain, subject to paying royalty fees to the Harare City Council.
“The royalty fee is supposed to cover gravel pit rehabilitation and maintenance of access roads, but residents are not seeing the benefits,” said Mr Nyikadzino.
Residents say the situation has become increasingly dangerous, with two children losing their lives after falling into the mining pits.
Mr Farai Kambamura, a Warren Park resident, said mining in residential areas was unacceptable given the clear and rapid land degradation.
“It’s impossible to mine in a residential area. There is no adequate distance from the mine area to the residential area. It’s very sad,” Mr Kambamura said.
Workers at the mining site declined to comment on their operations, saying they were not authorised to speak to the media.
Residents have since petitioned the Harare City Council and the Environmental Management Agency to compel the mining companies to land reclamation before disaster strikes.
Responding to an inquiry by concerned residents, a copy of which was seen by The Herald, the Harare City Council said the quantities of gravel extracted by mining companies depended on the royalty fees paid.
“The royalty fee is supposed to cover gravel pit rehabilitation and maintenance of access roads. Daily extraction records are kept and demobilisation (of equipment) is effected when a company has collected (its) total quantity,” said the council.
Council said it was responsible for the environmental reclamation and regeneration exercise which was funded by the royalty fees.
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