Zimpapers Logo

Nyore Madzianike Manicaland Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) will increase its workforce from 1 500 to 4 000 next year through its expansion drive that involves the opening of the Chimanimani diamond fields, an official has said.

ZCDC chief executive Dr Morris Mpofu said this during a familiarisation tour of Chiadzwa diamond fields by Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba, Government and top Zanu-PF officials.

Dr Mpofu said they were looking forward to creating more employment opportunities, especially for youths, saying ZCDC was doing well in its operations.

“We surpassed our annual target in October,” he said.

“We are currently undertaking massive capitalisation for sustainable future mining. We are investing in geology and exploration activities as we need to consolidate diamond mining for the next 50 years.

“We are not going to be crybabies and close down because the country is facing challenges.

“We are on course as we plan to start operating in Chimanimani within the next two months. Machinery and other equipment have been already moved there.”

Dr Mpofu said ZCDC would also be investing heavily in environmental management activities with about $20 million having been set aside for that.

Government has promised to intervene and address challenges being faced by people who were relocated from Chiadzwa to Arda Transau to pave way for diamond mining activities.

Dr Gwaradzimba said her office would visit the areas where villagers were relocated to find ways of addressing their plight.

“We learnt that because of mining operations, some locals were displaced and relocated to Arda Transau and these families are facing quite a number of challenges that include space,” she said.

“They were given one-hectare pieces of land, which is not enough for farming and livestock production. We need to visit them and see how best we can help them.”

Dr Gwaradzimba said she was impressed with ZCDC’s operations in Chiadzwa and said the challenges affecting the country could be solved using proceeds from diamond mining.

“ZCDC has demonstrated that it is a quasi-Government mining company that can do great things for the nation,” she said.

“It is a big asset for the nation and diamonds can actually be a panacea to the challenges we are facing as a country.”

During the familiarisation tour, ZCDC officials took Dr Gwaradzimba and her delegation to areas where they planted trees as an environmental management measure.

They also showed her a fully equipped computer laboratory at Gandauta Secondary School, which ZCDC constructed as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.