News / National
Councillors concerned over mining activities around Bulawayo city
11 Dec 2017 at 06:52hrs | Views
Bulawayo City Councillors have expressed concerns over the mining activities around the city as they discussed an application for a Special Grant To Mine at Wood Lock Mine.
(During the full concil meeting the Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo declared an interest and recused himself during consideration of this item.
Councillor Gideon Mangena was opposed to the recommendation of the Town Lands and Planning Committee.
"He said that allowing mining activities in an urban setting was likely to be detrimental to the future expansion of this City," reads council minutes.
"Concurring the Deputy Mayor Councillor Gift Banda drew attention to the Acting Deputy Director of Engineering Services (Town Planning), comments that made reference to a 1997 mining policy which discouraged the establishment of new mines in the City. He said professional views on such matters should be upheld."
Councillor Clayton Zana felt that there was a proliferation of mining activities in and around the City.
"Relevant authorities (Zimbabwe Republic Police) appeared to be failing to control the situation. To restore order and avoid anarchy, it would only be proper, in this view, to allocate mining grants to substantive applicants on the basis of relevant conditions and guidelines," reads the minutes.
Councillor Mlandu Ncube concurred citing Old Nic Mine which had been in existence for many years in Killarney suburb, and also Johannesburg City in South Africa.
He said that the reasons proffered against mines in residential areas were not valid. He was convinced that allocating a mining grant to a responsible company/entity would prevent a chaotic "free for all" scenario.
Councillor James Sithole was of a similar view.
The Town Lands and Planning Committee of which he was a member, had visited the site in question and was persuaded that the application was worthy of Council's support.
As stipulated in recommendation 2 of the Committee, the applicant, should as a precondition, demonstrate that the project was of economic value.
After further debate it was resolved that the recommendation of the Town Lands and Planning Committee as submitted be adopted.
(During the full concil meeting the Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo declared an interest and recused himself during consideration of this item.
Councillor Gideon Mangena was opposed to the recommendation of the Town Lands and Planning Committee.
"He said that allowing mining activities in an urban setting was likely to be detrimental to the future expansion of this City," reads council minutes.
"Concurring the Deputy Mayor Councillor Gift Banda drew attention to the Acting Deputy Director of Engineering Services (Town Planning), comments that made reference to a 1997 mining policy which discouraged the establishment of new mines in the City. He said professional views on such matters should be upheld."
Councillor Clayton Zana felt that there was a proliferation of mining activities in and around the City.
Councillor Mlandu Ncube concurred citing Old Nic Mine which had been in existence for many years in Killarney suburb, and also Johannesburg City in South Africa.
He said that the reasons proffered against mines in residential areas were not valid. He was convinced that allocating a mining grant to a responsible company/entity would prevent a chaotic "free for all" scenario.
Councillor James Sithole was of a similar view.
The Town Lands and Planning Committee of which he was a member, had visited the site in question and was persuaded that the application was worthy of Council's support.
As stipulated in recommendation 2 of the Committee, the applicant, should as a precondition, demonstrate that the project was of economic value.
After further debate it was resolved that the recommendation of the Town Lands and Planning Committee as submitted be adopted.
Source - Byo24News
