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Lovemore Zigara
For communities in Zvishavane district located in the heart of the mineral rich Great Dyke, the extractive industry has become a double-edged sword. The industry has become a blessing through the setting up of the Zvishavane Community Share Ownership Trust which has resulted in a major infrastructural transformation in the area.

This has seen the drilling of boreholes, establishment of new health facilities and construction of schools among other developments.

While the Zvishavane communities have welcomed these developments, the extractive industry has shown its downside.

Open pits are left by some of the established mining companies that are mining chrome. The pits have maimed and killed people and livestock alike in the area.

A drive along the Gweru – Zvishavane road, through Chief Mapanzure’s area, bears testimony to the destruction of the environment.

Open pits have been abandoned by established miners such as Zimasco and Zimalloys who hold chrome claims which they tribute to small-scale miners.

So dangerous have the open pits become that Asar Mpofu, a child in the area lost his life in 2012 after falling into one of the pits.

The child’s tragedy represents dangers posed by lack of enforcement of mining rules and regulations by authorities such as the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).

Another victim of the open pits, Fortune Siziba, 32, from the same area, fell into a 24-metre disused pit 15 years ago. This left Siziba partially blind and his left side of the body is now paralysed.

The area with the open pits was mined by Madatta then.

Madatta was then subcontracted by Zimasco to work on one of its claims.

Siziba’s dreams of becoming a soldier were effectively quashed. He now fends for his family through selling airtime at Mapanzure Shopping Centre, popularly known as PaMuzvondiwa.

“Since the accident which happened in 2001 when I was 17-years-old, I’ve never led a normal life. I now sell airtime to raise money to fend for my family because my dreams of becoming a soldier are gone.

“What pains me the most is that the mine promised to compensate me following the accident but nothing has been done to date. I’ve been moved from one office to the other to no avail. I’ve lost hope of ever getting compensated since the mine keeps on shifting goalposts,” said Siziba.

However, Zimasco general manager administration, Clara Sadomba said the company was not aware of Siziba’s case until July last year when it was brought to their attention.

She said they only got to know about the matter when it was brought to their attention by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.

Sadomba insists that Siziba had not submitted a claim for compensation to the ferrochrome smelter.

“The issue of Fortune Siziba came to Zimasco’s attention in July 2015 through a Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) Documentary video. The video was played in Harare and Shurugwi at workshops that were organised by ZHRC.

“Zimasco advised the ZHRC that it would investigate the case. The company proceeded to advise Fortune Siziba, who attended the Shurugwi workshop, on which steps to take in making the claim. All claims, once lodged, are investigated. When they are substantiated, compensation determination and payment is made by our insurers. To date there has been no claim submitted by Fortune Siziba,” said Sadomba.

Chief Mapanzure bemoaned the massive land degradation in his area.

He said most of the prime farmland has been taken over by the miners who leave unsecured pits once they are done with their mining activities.

“We no longer have arable farmland because someone just comes and invades your piece of land and proceed to exploit it. As the owners of land we don’t benefit anything. This land is our only source of livelihood.

“Our livestock are being maimed and killed while people have been left with permanent injuries while others have died in those pits. There is need to empower the landowners so that mining activities are done in a way which is sustainable while also benefiting the community,” said Chief Mapanzure.

Instead of just rehabilitating the environment by filling the pits, Chief Mapanzure said the mining companies could turn the death traps into water reservoirs which will see locals embarking on market gardening projects.

“Our region doesn’t receive much rainfall. Instead of the mines just filling some of those pits the best they can do is to secure them so that the community can draw water in some of those pits and use it to irrigate crops,” he said.

The concerns by the chief calls for the expeditious enactment of the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill which will resolve land conflicts between miners as well as between miners and farmers. The bill will also spell out who exactly is responsible for land rehabilitation on the tributes agreement.

Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Fred Moyo, has since tasked mining concerns to rehabilitate areas where they extract minerals. The areas include tributaries where the mining companies collect a five percent levy.

The existing legislation supersedes other laws and gives power to mineral prospectors the right to peg farmland for the purposes of setting up a mining concession without paying compensation to the owner of the land.

Chief Mapanzure’s sentiments are supported by the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (Zela), an organisation which seeks to promote environmental justice, sustainable and equitable use of natural resources, democracy and good governance in the natural resources and environment sector.

In its report on the impacts of chrome mining activities along the Great Dyke titled: “From The Great Dyke to The Great Threat”, Zela recommended an increased participation by communities in chrome mining activities.

It said communities should be involved in the process of awarding mining licences to companies to ensure they rehabilitate the environment after the extraction process.

“There is need to enhance participation of host communities in chrome mining by forfeiting claims that are not being utilised by big mining companies. This will stop the unfair practice where indigenous participation in chrome mining is largely restricted to contracting which is lopsided in favour of claim owners (and) issuance or renewal of mining license should be merit based considering the performance on issues such as environmental rehabilitation, corporate social investments and a social license to operate,” reads part of the recommendations by Zela.

EMA education and publicity officer for Midlands, Timothy Nyoka, said they have made some “headway in compelling companies such as Zimasco to rehabilitate the environment.”

He, however, expressed concern that some Chinese owned companies who extracted chrome ore have since left and could not be traced.

To realise the chief’s dream which is also captured in the African Mining Vision which seeks to “prevent or minimise negative social and environmental impact and transform minerals into sustainable and greater value” there is need to harmonise the various pieces of legislation.

It is, however, encouraging that Finance Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, in his 2016 budget presentation announced that mining companies will now be compelled to set up a fund to rehabilitate the environment after exploiting minerals.

The death of Mpofu and the disability of Siziba should be a reminder to the authorities that the country should holistically deal with issues of the environment before the country plunges into an environmental catastrophe.