Paul Nyathi|President Mnangagwa yesterday condemned violence and lawlessness among artisanal miners, saying perpetrators of mining-related crimes will face the full wrath of the law. There have been numerous reports of violence among artisanal miners who invade mining claims while attacking competitors with machetes.

Some have since been nicknamed “Mashurugwi” or “Vemabhemba” as reports of violent clashes over the control of mining claims continue to be reported across the country.

President Mnangagwa’s home province, the Midlands is the headquarters of the armed thugs reportedly sponsored by politicians to wreak havoc with impunity.

A four-month long investigation carried out by Information for Development Trust (IDT), revealed that the police have largely failed to stop or control the violence.

The police openly admitted their helplessness — and fear too — as they implicitly blamed ruling Zanu PF politicians who have become the godfathers of most of the militias.

“I am not at liberty to comment on those issues (gang violence) due to their political nature,” said Midlands police spokesperson. Inspector Joel Goko.

The Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) that operates from the Midlands mining town of Kwekwe, which also happens to be Mnangagwa’s hometown, fears that the violence may be hard to manage.

“As a country, we are nursing a problem that will be very difficult to contain. Already we have so many victims, including deaths due to machete attacks,” said Obert Chinhamo, the ACT-SA director.

The armed violence has spun out of Kwekwe to neighbouring rural and urban centres such as Silobela, Kadoma and as far as Gwanda, according to Chinhamo.

The church is alarmed too, with the Interfaith Council for Justice and Peace Trust (ICJPT) that also operates from Kwekwe last February releasing a statement in which it said it was “gravely concerned that…Kwekwe and surrounding areas are no longer safe”.

The several armed terror gangs that operate in urban and rural areas are well-known to the authorities, said ICJPT.

According to ACT-SA’s Chinhamo, they “operate from mines either owned or have been forcefully taken over by politically connected persons”.

President Mnangagwa who was addressing delegates attending the inaugural Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners Conference hosted by the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) in Gweru said such violent clashes should stop forthwith.

“We have heard through the media about the lawlessness from among artisanal miners, some invading other people’s mines while armed with machetes. The president of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation has (Ms Henriata Rushawaya) has, however, distanced the artisanal miners from these crimes saying they were not the ones involved in such clashes. She said these were the works of some rogue elements bent on tarnishing the artisanal miners’ name.

“We have said we don’t want this, anyone found in possession of these dangerous weapons should be arrested and jailed,” said President Mnangagwa.

The President said Government was prepared to give artisanal miners financial support if they were organised.

“We have mobilised $20 million which is meant to empower artisanal and small-scale miners, but you need to organise yourselves into groups,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said Government was in the process of identifying idle mining claims owned by big companies.

He said such mining claims will be redistributed to small-scale miners for production.

“We introduced a use it or lose it policy. Under this policy Government is repossessing mining claims that are owned by big companies, but were not being utilised.

“We urge the Zimbabwe Miners Federation to send such mining claims to the responsible ministry if they have them in their books,” he said.

Source: State Media