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In an interview, Governor Machaya said the decision to allow the syndicates to start mining was reached at yesterday’s Joint Operations Command (JOC) meeting that was also attended by officials from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.
“The Ministry of Mines is now setting up boundaries at the Sherwood claim before the syndicates start mining on Monday. We also agreed that a security fence should be erected at the claim to enhance security in the area,” he said.
Governor Machaya said the mining operations would start in the presence of officials from Fidelity Printers to guard against the smuggling of gold or selling of the mineral through unofficial channels.
“The Fidelity team will be on site and all mining activities at the claim will be done in their presence to enable the syndicates to sell the gold easily to official buyers. All is now set for the mining of alluvial gold. We agreed at the JOC meeting to avoid further delays as this was causing a lot of anxiety among our people,” he said.
A Zanu-PF youth leader based in Kwekwe, Cde Takaedza Ntuli, said as youths they welcomed the Sherwood gold discovery. He said the discovery of the mineral would help ease social challenges faced by thousands of unemployed youths in Kwekwe as everyone stood to benefit.
He commended the manner in which the allocation of mining rights for the alluvial gold was being handled.
“We are very happy about this programme as youths. We have been telling many youths about empowerment but some were a bit sceptical,” said Cde Ntuli.
The Midlands chapter of the Affirmative Action Group (AAG) also hailed the decision to allow mining syndicates to start mining in the Sherwood area.
AAG secretary for the Midlands, Mr Owen Matava, said his organisation was supportive of the mining syndicates which sought to empower locals.
“It is a noble move as many mines that have been mining gold and other minerals in the province have been smuggling the mineral and selling a small percentage to Fidelity and other registered buyers. For example, in December, there was talk that 40kg of gold was extracted from the Sherwood mine claims but only 7kg was deposited at Fidelity,” he said.
News of the gold rush in Kwekwe’s Sherwood area broke out last week resulting in people from all corners of the district descending on the farming area in search of instant riches.
Police and the army quickly deployed officers to avert a possible disaster that could have seen a “second Chiadzwa” erupting in the country. There was near-chaos in the initial stages that followed the discovery of diamonds at Chiadzwa in Manicaland.