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Prince Sunduzani, Business Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) says it has made headway in lobbying Government to release the $50 million loan facility for the revival of Bulawayo companies that manufacture mining equipment.

The loan fund, which was launched in Bulawayo last year during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), was sourced from Sakunda Energy by Government to capacitate companies that manufacture mining equipment.

Government said it wanted mining companies to source their equipment locally instead of importing as this will assist in creating jobs.

In a telephone interview yesterday, ZMF vice president Mr Ishmael Kaguru said his organisation, which represents the interests of all small scale miners countrywide, had a productive meeting with Industry and Commerce Ministry top officials last week whose results might be realised by the end of this    week.

“With regards to the $50 million dollar facility, we had a meeting with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce last week. We lobbied for the release of the funds and it is very promising,” said Mr Kaguru.

“We are having another meeting with them this week and I’m sure by then we would have reached a conclusion. But from the look of it things are going to go our way.”

Recently, Government increased the gold support facility for small scale miners by 102 percent to $150 million to increase gold production.

ZMF welcomed the development saying the facility would go a long way towards capacitating small-scale miners to increase production.

The small-scale mining sector last year produced 13.2 tonnes of the 24.8 tonnes of gold. Riding on the back of continued support from the Government, small-scale miners are this year targeting to improve output of the yellow metal to 18 tonnes.

Due to lack of basic mining equipment such as compressors, jack hammers and other such equipment, small-scale miners are yet to reach their full potential.

@PrinceNkosy102