10 000 miners do their work using traditional equipment in Chegutu

Chegutu MP Dexter Nduna has told the Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa that there are 10 000 small scale miners in t6he Midlands who are mining using their traditional equipment such as hoes, picks and chisels.

This emerged during the senate seating when Mnangagwa was asked by members of the house as to what kind of miners does the government consider.

"We want all of them, those who have companies and the infrastructure to mine. We also want those who use manual labour, like hoes, we want things to be done the proper way. Gold that is extracted by machinery is gold and even that which is extracted by hoes is also gold, so we want all that gold," Mnangagwa said. "So what the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development should do is that if people come together and form a group to mine, they can get recognition."

He said what they do not want is for people to just wake up and start extracting gold in an area without the knowledge of the Minister, it has to be guaranteed.

"So what I guarantee is that the Member of Parliament for Chegutu, Nduna, was with us today and we discussed these issues. We advised him that what we do not want is a dis-organised set up," Mnangagwa said.  "He has said there are 10 000 miners who mine using traditional equipment. What we want is for them to be organised and to work within the confines of the law. We do not want those without the relevant documents to come and mine where there are miners with proper documentation. That is what can bring in money into the fiscus and make Hon. Patrick Chinamasa happy."