Panners ‘a security, environment threat’ File picture

Manicaland Correspondent
GOVERNMENT has threatened action against gold panners causing rampant environmental degradation in Chimanimani District, saying such activities were compromising the country’s developmental agenda.

In an interview with The Herald, chairperson of the supreme organ for the coordination of State security in Manicaland, Brigadier-General Joe Muzvidziwa said disorderly panning activities had become a cause for security concern, as they were compromising Government’s efforts to restore sanity and order in the country’s informal sector.

Brig-Gen Muzvidziwa said the illegal panners should stop destroying the country’s precious environment, as their activities were frustrating Government’s developmental goals.

“The issue of illegal gold panning has become a serious cause for concern to us as we believe sanity and orderliness are an important component of our security requirement in the Second Republic,” he said.

“We appreciate the current challenges that these people may be facing in trying to make ends meet. I advise them to use better ways of conducting their activities. Government is ready to assist and regularise their operations if they are ready to work properly and not damage the environment.

“Their activities must contribute meaningfully to the country’s economic growth as well as enable the miners to take care of their children and accord them a bright future.’’

Brig-Gen Muzvidziwa said the damage caused was not only confined to Zimbabwe, but extended into neighbouring Mozambique.

“The amount of damage to the environment arising from the mining activities is not only affecting Zimbabwe but go downstream to neighbouring Mozambique,” he said. “Mozambican authorities have since raised concern over water pollution along rivers that flow into their country.”

Gold panners have in recent times adopted an overly aggressive form of mining that has left the environment irrevocably damaged in the province.

The activities are mostly prevalent in Penhalonga and Chimanimani areas where the illegal artisanal gold miners have rendered the areas unworkable especially in terms of livestock and agricultural production.

A recent visit to the affected areas in Chimanimani revealed that the activities had left a trail of environmental degradation through digging up and burning of vegetation leaving the soil susceptible to erosion and rivers to siltation.

Aquatic-based food chains have also suffered in the process especially from the effects of chemicals such as mercury.

Chimanimani Ward 22 councillor Mr Samuel Matai urged the Government to assist the artisanal panners to do their business formally without causing damage to the environment.

“I appeal to Government to chip in by allotting them an area where they can formally do their activities without causing damage to the environment,” he said.

Cllr Matai proposed the rolling out of awareness campaigns to educate artisnal miners on the dangers of their activities adding that some school-going children were now even opting out of school to engage in panning activities.

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