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Herald Reporter

ILLEGAL sand miners chased away a few months ago have returned to all sites as the councils never followed up and maintained the pressure.

In April this year, a visit to sand poaching sites in Harare and Chitungwiza found rampant illegal sand poaching which had massively damaged and degraded the environment.

Despite some raids by the understaffed Environmental Management Authority (EMA), the profits are huge since sand sells for US$6 to US$8 a cubic metre at the poaching points to those using their own transport, and far more if delivered. 

The only costs are the bribes since the sand is stolen.

Yesterday, another visit to the same sand poaching points in Harare and Chitungwiza found the same sand poachers are back in full swing and are enjoying undisturbed operations during the day and night.

Chitungwiza Municipality public relations officer Mr Lovemore Meya said according to council records, there was not even a single registered sand miner, hence all sand extraction within the town borders was illegal.

And that illegal trade is thus massive since huge amounts of sand are being extracted and transported in and around Chitungwiza daily.

Mr Meya said council did conduct raids, but its efforts are hindered by lack of resources.

“We do conduct raids, but sometimes we tone down due to challenges of resources,” he said. 

“We are aware that they are back so at times soon after doing raids, they come back. It is like a cat and mouse game.” 

Harare City Council spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme said the council was putting in place punitive measures that will see a stop on illegal sand mining.

The extensive sand poaching in Harare and Chitungwiza has damaged at least 721 hectares of land, with reports that some top municipal officers are corruptly turning a blind eye as they protect the poachers who steal sand from public land.

While most of the affected land belongs to local authorities and the State, there seems to be little effort by authorities to curb the illegal digging.

Private landowners are more likely to take action, but very little land near river beds and the like is privately-owned.

EMA Harare Metropolitan provincial manager Mr Robson Mavondo attributed the illegal extraction of sand to the high demand for sand and clay by builders and developers, saying about 712 hectares of land has already been damaged in Harare. 

Damage means vegetation is stripped and deep wide pits are dug out, with these filling with stagnant water whenever it rains.

Mr Mavondo appealed to local authorities to enforce their by-laws and ensure that the environment was protected against this degradation.

He said EMA recently conducted over 145 raids in Harare and impounded 115 vehicles.