‘Illegal miners a threat to city water system’
MASVINGO City Council has expressed concern over rampant illegal gold mining activities around the Target Kopje Hills.
In an interview on Friday, town clerk Mr Adolf Gusha said the artisanal miners’ blasting activities were detrimental to the water and reticulation facilities and several properties near the area.
He said the local authority was receiving a number of complaints from residents and property owners over the conduct of the miners.
Most miners are said to be using explosives in their activities.
Mr Gusha said there were also reports of trucks being seen shuttling from the hills with ore heading for unknown destinations.
“We have been receiving reports of illegal mining activities at the Target Kopje Hills which are threatening the water infrastructure and houses nearby,” he said.
“I am yet to visit the place, the indications are that these people are using explosives for blasting. We are going to engage the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development so that the matter can be addressed.
“We want to determine whether the operations are licensed or not.”
Masvingo’s deputy mayor councillor Wellington Mahwende said they will also deploy municipal police to the area assisted by the police, to ascertain the legality of the operations.
“Government stopped the mining operations at the mine, some 40 years ago.
“Operations were stopped when it was realised that the mining activities would adversely affect the water supply infrastructure and some houses.
“If my memory serves me well, council has turned down applications from prospective miners on many occasions citing similar reasons of the proximity of the mine to the city’s water infrastructure,” said Clr Mahwende.
He said the area had been reserved for the setting up of council’s water storage tanks in 1960.
“The site which is stand number 896 is within the planned and surveyed boundary of the City of Masvingo Master Plan. This was also State land administered by the then Urban State Lands office.
“The local authority was granted a servitude for the pumping main, water storage tanks and water distribution in the 1960s. Our infrastructure would need to be relocated at a cost if any mining activity is to be granted,” he said.