Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has taken a swipe at artisanal miners (popularly known as makorokoza) for degrading the environment through improper mining methods.
Presenting his maiden budget this week, Ncube said government appreciates the benefits from small scale and artisanal miners but some of their operations are substantially contributing to ‘environmental degradation’.
“Unsustainable mining methods that are used by small scale and artisanal miners are causing damage to public infrastructure and in some cases violates rights of other land holders such as farmers.
“Without criminalising the small scale and artisanal miners, the 2019 budget seeks to embrace interventions to reduce environmental, social and health impact that arise from artisanal and small-scale mining operations,” he said.
He proposed the introduction of a Mining Loan Fund as a key funding tool to primary and small-scale producers, that will embrace a component for a better and sustainable mining methods.
“In addition, government is engaging Fidelity Printers to come up with a mechanism that compels recipients of other loans to rehabilitate the environment, therefore, strengthening institutions related to the wildlife industry such as Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife management to deal with ‘rogue operators who continue to bring the industry into disrepute internationally,” said Ncube.
He added: “Individual farmers with low capacity for cropping especially in the southern regions can engage in wildfire ranching. These farmers willbeassisted by government to form joint ventures with private sector on wildlife projects”
Mail and Telegraph has exposed how some Chinese owned mining companies are posing an environmental threat along the Great Dyke.
-Mail and Telegraph