Umzingwane calls for imposition of fines on gold panners
Gold miners in Umzingwane district whose activities have led to land degradation and water contamination in the area should pay fines and acquire licences to operate as means to promote sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
This came out during the opening of two Environmental management Agency (EMA) offices in Umzingwane District, which are set to regulate mining activities which have been blamed for increased pollution in the area.
Umzingwane legislator Retired Brigadier Levi Mayihlome called for policy makers to enact laws around fines and licences to regulate mining activities in the area to mitigate environmental degradation.
“We are the first district in Matabeleland South to have EMA offices in the community and we are happy because we needed EMA to help us deal with these minors who are causing a lot of pollution. Umzingwane has lots of pollution and human waste flowing into the dams as a result of the mining activities,” said Mayihlome.
“A lot of farmers are using herbicides that are contaminating our water bodies as people no longer want to work but concentrate on gold panning. We call on the Ministry and policy makers to introduce fines and licences for these miners so that we save the environment.”
He said the opening of the EMA offices should see the regeneration of wetlands in Umzingwane to revive the ecosystem which was under threat from mining activities.
Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndhlovu echoed the same sentiments by Mayihlome saying the construction of the new EMA offices signified government commitment in rescuing the environment from harmful activities.
In his speech, he said the initiative gives Umzingwane the much-deserved facelift, which is crucial for enhancing EMA’s corporate image.
“The milestone achievement also fits perfectly into the devolution agenda, which promotes development of sustainable and resilient infrastructure, not only in cities such as Harare or Bulawayo, but also at a local level,” Ndhlovu said.
“Umzingwane was rich in mineral resources and was under threat from land degradation and water contamination due to illegal mining activities in the district. I applaud the EMA board and management for championing the noble cause of capacitating the hinterland in resonance with the aspirations of the devolution agenda,” he added.