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Minister Chidhakwa

Herald Reporter—
Government intends to regulate the conduct of gold millers to ensure small-scale miners benefit and reduce leakages in the informal market, Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa has said. Minister Chidhakwa said this last week during a tour of Mingchang Sino-Africa Mining Private Limited’s US$4 million-gold mill plant in Shamva, which was established to assist small-scale miners in the area.

The tour was attended by Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister Fred Moyo and small-scale miners.
“We will speak with milling companies scattered across the country and we should set a standard that applies to all of them in Zimbabwe and it has to be complied with so that small-scale miners benefit,” said Minister Chidhakwa.

“We will deploy technical capability to ensure that miners are not taken for a ride by milling companies. We appreciate gold milling companies for assisting small-scale miners with brilliant ideas and Government should be involved in their day-to-day business. People from Fidelity should be here to ensure there is a greater account of the gold that is produced.”

Minister Chidhakwa said the standards would be set after Government conducted discussions with milling companies after there were several complaints from small scale miners who alleged were getting a raw deal from milling companies after the ore was processed.

“It is an urgent matter, which we must address as quickly as possible, but we will look at the issues of logistics and I would want Fidelity to be located at all milling points across the country. That seems to be the problem across the country and the miners say they are not getting a fair deal from the milling companies,” he said.

Minister Chidhakwa hailed the company saying it established a plant which was of good quality and international standards.
One of the workers who cited anonymity, said they did not have safety wear at the milling plant and were given them prior to the Ministers’ visit.

“We are treated unfairly and there is poor accommodation for us yet they are enjoying a good life. Our children are not offered transport to school like they promised us and they travel to and from school for 16 kilometres,” he said.

One of the miners, Mr Ernest Manyara said the costs of bringing gold ore to the mill were exorbitant.
“We appreciate having the mill in our area, but their costs are expensive considering the transport and milling services they provide for us.

“We hope Government intervenes on our behalf since several efforts to engage them have been fruitless,” he said.
Mingchang managing director, Mr Ming Chang Xing, said they had plans of building a school and a clinic at the site, which he said would benefit employees and the surrounding community.