Plans by diamond miner, RZM Murowa, to resume exploration for diamonds in the Sese area of Chivi need a new environmental management plan ordered by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to cover the expanded works and this plan should answer and ameliorate concerns raised by local communities. Murowa left its diamond claims in Sese in a huff in October 2021 after haggling with the local community that wanted the diamond miner to vacate the area, accusing the company of a litany of charges, including failing to engage the local community and moving into community land. Miners have rights to mine in open land where they hold claims and even in farm land, but compensation is required for any improvements and especially when buildings become unusable or are destroyed. The Sese community took Murowa to court and won an order for the company to decamp from Danhamombe High School in the area, so plans to expand the school could be implemented. The resistance was led by local businessman and Mashwede founder Mr Alex Mashamhanda. Murowa has since appealed against the decision at the Supreme Court and the appeal is still to be determined. The miner’s operations in Sese had become untenable as villagers persistently protested against the company’s presence, staging a series of demonstrations, while picketing at drilling sites in the area. President Mnangagwa has said Government wanted mining companies to respect concerns of locals and get their buy in before embarking on mining, and this often requires the mining company to become a useful member of the community through offering employment and ensuring what it puts into the community is greater than any damage caused. After an almost over one-year hiatus, Murowa wrote to the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira, on 31 January this year, announcing plans to resume bulk sampling at the diamondferous kimberlites in Sese. The company, in a letter copied to EMA, written by its general manager Mr Jonathan Mapisaunga, indicated that the scope of new works included excavation of a 62m long and 27m wide pit to extract about 21 tonnes of sampling material and waste that would be trucked to the Murowa mining site. The sampling would be done in an open area between a farmer’s field and St Simon Zhara Primary School in Sese. Murowa indicated that the new scope of works would be done in accordance with standards set in the social environmental management plan and undertook to mitigate side effects such as noise and dust pollution. Shelly stephanie beatriz nude EMA provincial manager Mr Jonathan Muusha advised Murowa of the need of an additional environmental management plan to cater for the new scope of works. He noted that the initial Murowa plan did not include mitigatory measures for the effects of new scope of works and this needed to be formally set down and accepted. “In light of that, the agency requests an additional EMP for the new scope of work,” said Mr Muusha in his response, that was also copied to Minister Chadzamira and other key stakeholders. “Can we also emphasise that in the development of the additional EMP, there should be effective stakeholder consultations to ensure that all stakeholders’ concerns are addressed. “This will enhance acceptance of the project by all stakeholders including the locals.”
Murowa owns a diamond mine in the Mazvihwa area of Zvishavane and the diamondferous kimberlites from there are suspected to extend to cover parts of Sese where the firm has close to 200 claims for gems. – The Herald
