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HWANGE, Inyathi, Lower Gweru, Chivi, Uzumba and many more have been scenes of disputes, some fatal, between locals and miners.

Illegal gold panners as well as some companies have prospected or actually mined at schools, hospitals, homes, pastures and other reserved pieces of land, angering locals.

Some confrontations, especially involving panners have resulted in bloody, even fatal fights as villagers stood their ground protecting their land.

President Mnangagwa, speaking on Saturday in Uzumba where a foreign company had, a few months ago, pegged an expansive piece of land for black granite mining, declared that the interests of villagers superseded mining interests. If, like the case in point, locals are opposed to a mining project, that project must immediately cease.

Emphasising that foreign investment into the country was welcome, the President said such investment must respect laws, rules and communities.

“We do not want people who come to do mining in an area and disrupt people’s way of lives,” he said addressing a rally at a local school after officiating at a memorial service for the late former Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Service Commissioner-General, Paradzai Zimondi.

“Communities come first and that should be respected. No mining should happen unless the people and their community leadership agree. If the community says a project cannot go on, that should be final.  I heard that there were people who wanted to do mining on school premises. That is unacceptable.”

The President was really categorical in putting community interest first before commercial interests of a company or two. That is the best way to go so that development at whatever level is shared and does not provoke disputes.

Yes, mines employ, in some cases locals; mines build schools, clinics, roads et cetera, but if mines seek to dig up whole cemeteries, dig up other revered zones, pollute drinking water sources, cause mercury poisoning and break communities, such mining is destructive, thus must be immediately discontinued.

As we have indicated, disputes between locals and miners are of a national nature, with many of them having been reported in Matabeleland South, Midlands and Matabeleland North as well.

In September last year, the Government had to ban all mining in game parks after a company had started pegging in Hwange National Park in Matabeleland North. Late last month we reported that illegal gold panners were mining near Inyathi District Hospital in Bubi, Matabeleland North.

Two months earlier, we had reported that illegal gold panners had invaded the grounds of Loreto Mission in Silobela, Midlands Province.

We condemn such destabilising activities and demand that the mining companies be more responsible in their quest for wealth.  They must follow established protocols, key among them consultation of locals first before they carry out any work.

If they consult locals, any areas of dispute can be addressed early on, instead of villagers being jolted from their sleep by the sound of drilling in their yards.

If companies consulted locals, communities can suggest adjustments which can be taken on board, minimising disputes. Such consultation is what environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs) demand and we know that ESIAs are a requirement of the law and must be carried out well before mining or other large, high-impact projects, begin.

This tells us that the reason why some disputes between miners and villagers erupt is because the former would not have undertaken ESIAs beforehand, which is an offence.

It would also be good if mining commissioners in various provinces exercise more diligence when endorsing applications for mining licences.

These offices are on the ground which suggests that they have detailed information on the occurrence of any mineral and how such occurrence relates with communities.

The officers must therefore, refuse to endorse applications that are a potential sources of conflict. That saves the investor valuable resources and maintains peace.

In instances where all requirements of the law are met but for some reason, disputes arise between communities and companies at a later stage, it would be desirable for the Government to issue relevant companies mining rights elsewhere.

Having noted the foregoing, we acknowledge that rules don’t count when it comes to illegal gold panners. They have little regard for tomorrow or the family next door. All they want is cash on the spot for their next meal, beer or cigarette.

Their often-wanton activities can only be made more orderly through robust law enforcement by police and other security arms.