Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
ARTISANAL gold miners (makorokoza) have overrun Sakubva River in the Riverside Industrial Area of Mutare, leaving a trail of environmental destruction in their wake.
The river, situated a stone’s throw from the Central Business District (CBD), has borne the brunt of the miners’ activities; sparking concerns over the long-term impact on the waterway and local ecosystem.
The artisanal miners are reportedly from Chikanga, Hobhouse and Sakubva high-density suburbs, and have been camped along the waterway since January.
Having operated in the gold-rich areas of Penhalonga and Odzi, they are using their experience to ravage Sakubva River and its surrounding environs.
Artisanal gold miners are reportedly operating under the cover of darkness to evade law enforcement agents.
They have savaged the area behind Mutare Bottling Company and Yeovil medium-density suburb along Sakubva River in search of the yellow metal. Property owners in the surrounding areas are growing increasingly concerned about the potential destruction of their assets as the artisanal miners are encroaching onto their premises.
Some residents are reluctant to speak out against the invasion, fearing for their safety.
A resident, Mr Misheck Madira, said the illegal miners are destroying precast walls near the riverbanks as they carry out their operations.
“It is disheartening that we are now worried about the destruction of our properties, particularly buildings and precast walls, due to the activities of these artisanal miners. They are following the gold belt right into our properties, and we fear it will not be long before we see cracks on our buildings or even witness them crumbling,” said Mr Madira, urging the law enforcement agents to intervene and restore order.
“We strongly urge law enforcement agents to chip in and restore sanity. It will not be long before we start seeing cracks on our buildings or witnessing the crumbling of buildings because these artisanal miners dig so deep in search of gold,” he said.
Another resident, Mr Shupikai Mavhiza, described the miners’ nocturnal operations.
“Every night, we see these artisanal miners descending upon the area under the cover of darkness. They work through the night and leave at dawn, when it is still dark. We are not sure whether they are actually getting the gold, but their determination and consistency means they have an idea of what is there in terms of the precious mineral,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Mutare Town Clerk, Mr Blessing Chafesuka said they have since moved in to drive the artisanal miners out of the area.
“Yes, we heard about it, and deployed the municipal police to drive them out of the area. It has been a while since we drove them out of the area,” he said.
Councillor Shepherd Jojo, who represents Mutare’s Ward 12, where the illicit gold mining activities are occurring, revealed that municipal police are working tirelessly to halt the illegal miners’ operations.
“We are aware of the issue, and it is causing a lot of damage to the environment in the area. Municipality police are working flat out to ensure that the artisanal miners stop their operations,” he said.
Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Manicaland Provincial Mining Director, Ms Sibongile Mpindiwa requested that questions be submitted in writing for an official response to be approved by their head office.
However, the questions had not been responded to at the time of going to print.
Environmental Management Agency Manicaland Provincial Education and Publicity Officer, Mrs Alice Rutsvara said she was unable to respond to questions at the time, as she was away in Victoria Falls on official duty.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka said they are prepared to tackle illegal mining activities once alerted by the relevant authorities.
“This is a matter that can easily be dealt with. Once alerted by relevant offices, an operation to clear out the area can be carried out. We have had numerous areas that illegal gold miners had invaded in Manicaland, but once that came to our attention, it did not take long before sanity was restored,” he said.
Past geographical surveys have revealed that the eastern border city is literally sitting on gold with the name “Mutare” itself being derived from the local Shona word “utare,” which can refer to iron or gold; further highlighting the area’s connection to these minerals.
Apparently, Mutare is known for its gold deposits, attracting both licenced mining companies and a large number of illegal alluvial gold miners.
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