Online Reporter
Michelle Musandinyoze. [email protected]
BULAWAYO City Mayor, Councillor David Coltart has sounded an alarm over rampant illegal gold mining in the Umzingwane river catchment area, warning of devastating consequences for the city’s water supply.
Despite Government’s ban on alluvial mining in river courses, miners are operating in tributaries .
Posting on his social media pages, Cllr Coltart revealed widespread damage, with most tributaries not flowing despite 600mm of rain this season.
“The Umzingwane dam is only 30 percent full, compared to Mshabezi dam, which is 100 percent full with minimal mining in its catchment area”, he said .
The Mayor said miners are continuing their illegal work with impunity, with large camps present and no sign of Environmental Management Agency (EMA) or Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) patrol.
“Government needs to bring this existential threat to an end immediately otherwise Bulawayo’s water crisis will continue, indeed worsen” he said.
