Government is crafting a new law to ban the owning of a metal detector without a licence, a move designed to stem land degradation and veld fires reportedly caused by illegal gold miners.
Two weeks ago, 10 men were burnt to death in Esigodini while trying to fight a veld fire at Red Rose Farm. Illegal miners allegedly started the fire to clear land so that they could use metal detectors in search of gold.
According to the Environment Management Agency, veld fires in Zimbabwe have so far killed 18 people. The fire season started on July 31 and ends on November 30.
The increase in deaths can be attributed to the upsurge in fire incidences as by last week Thursday, there were 5,386 recorded fires that torched 1,244,227 hectares, which is an increase of 58,6 percent compared to the same period last year.
During a memorial service at the farm where 10 lives were lost in Esigodini last Friday, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu said owning metal detectors will soon be illegal if one does not have a licence.
“We met on Wednesday with the different arms of government such as the CPU, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Mines. It was resolved that owning a metal detector should be licensed by the Ministry of Mines. It’ll be illegal to own one without a mining licence,” said Minister Ndlovu.
Following the remarks by Minister Ndlovu, Zimbabwe Miners Federation CEO Mr Wellington Takavarasha said it was important to formalise the sector.
“We have been lamenting about formalisation of the industry because this will help protect particular areas where mining activities happen and also ensure there’s no haphazard mining.
“We need to know who is in a particular area and this is only possible when the industry is formalised,” said Takavarasha.
He said metal detectors are used mostly for alluvial mining and most of those using detectors operate at night to avoid arrest.
Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union secretary-general Mr Justice Chinhema said there is a need to regularise the mining sector.
“We are in agreement with the Government on the need to regulate artisanal miners. We have seen so many bad things happening, pits have been created everywhere including farming areas,” said Mr Chinhema. – The Chronicle
