Clear arrears to get licences, miners told Minister Chitando

Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Correspondent
President Mnangagwa has directed that with effect from January next year, mining ventures seeking licensing have to first clear arrears with the respective local authorities before renewing their concessions, Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando has said.

Mining titles or concessions are renewed annually.

Government is pushing for the enactment of a law to effect the new directive to boost Rural District Councils (RDC’s) revenue inflows, as most of them were failing to collect their dues from surrounding mines, resulting in poor service delivery.

Addressing RDC councillors in Harare recently, Minister Chitando said RDCs had not been levying charges from mining operations in their areas.

“By the beginning of 2020 there will be a law, a requirement that before any mining concession is renewed, there has to be proof that they have paid revenue to the local authority,” he said.

“To ensure that all these RDCs benefit from the law, His Excellency has directed that before any mining title is renewed from January 2020 we check with the RDC if they have been paid their dues, if they say no then will say go back and pay your dues first.”

Minister Chitando said it was mandatory that every mining venture in the country renews its concession.

“So, it’s very exciting for us to look at two things, one that there is an enforcement that every mining activity has to pay dues to RDC, with that enforcement is coming a massive boost of 44 percent increase in the ministry industry by 2023,” he said.

The stance which will boost RDC revenue inflows is among many of Government’s broader plans to improving the lives of the rural populace through the policy of devolution, whose thrust is to empower local communities.

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