State Media|Gwanda Rural District Council has drafted new environmental and natural resources conservation by-laws which among others provide for permits to harvest, collect or pick for sale mopane worms.
In an interview Gwanda Rural District Council Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ronnie Sibanda, said they had also drafted by-laws to control the buying and selling of livestock. He said the by-laws were approved by council and will soon be submitted to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works before being submitted to the Attorney General’s office for finalisation.
He said the local authority has been using by laws that were crafted in 1995 which were now outdated.
“We have drafted environmental and natural resources conservation by laws and the control of livestock marketing, buying and selling of livestock by laws for the year 2019. The purpose of the natural resources by laws are to control natural resources management and protect the environment. We want to control among other things cutting of trees and harvesting of mopane worms,” he said. “There is a lot of environmental degradation going on in the district and we want to control it. These by laws were approved by council and then we advertised them in the newspapers inviting any objections. From there we will submit them to our Ministry where they will be scrutinised and assessed. If they are successful they will be submitted to the AG’s office for finalisation and then they will be gazetted.”
Mr Sibanda said the district has natural resources such as mopane worms but locals were not benefiting much from them and these by laws will address this anomaly. He said there was a lot of environmental degradation which was recorded as a result of activities of mopane worm harvesters from other districts who swarmed the district such as the cutting down of trees, premature harvesting of mopane worms, open defecation and littering.
Mr Sibanda said the buying and selling of livestock by laws seeks to fight stock theft cases which were being recorded as a result of illegal cattle sales.
“There has to be organised cattle sales which are conducted with the knowledge of the local authority. Unfortunately some private buyers by pass the local authority and conduct illegal sales and that’s when they are sold stolen animals. The local authority has to organise these sales and invite the police who are responsible for clearing animals to ensure that they are not stolen and the Department of Veterinary Services which is responsible for disease control. These new by laws seek to bring such illegal activities to an end,” he said.
Mr Sibanda said the local authority had environmental management committees at ward level that will be monitoring and ensuring that offenders of environmental laws are brought to book.
According to the livestock by laws no one shall buy or sell livestock for commercial purposes without a permit from council. Buyers are to buy livestock from livestock sales organised by council. No one shall move livestock from one area to another without a council permit. No one shall approach the police for a clearance letter without a permit or supporting letter for such clearance from council. Any person who is guilty of an offence in terms of these by laws shall be liable to a fine imposed by council or imprisoned for a period not exceeding 12 months or both imprisonment and fine.
Under the environmental and natural resources conservation by-laws no one is allowed to harvest, collect or pick for sale or commercial trade in mopane worms, fruits or other forest produce in the council area except in terms of a permit issued in terms of the Communal Forest Produce Act (Chapter 19:04). Any person who does not abide with this law shall be guilty and liable to a fine not exceeding $400.