News / Regional
Mangwe bans mining
08 Oct 2013 at 21:49hrs | Views
THE Mangwe Rural District Council has resolved to stop all mining activities at disputed claims in the district.
Speaking during a special full council meeting recently, the district's council chairperson, Councillor Rolendi Mafesi Ncube said mining activities within the district had to be stopped as they had turned chaotic.
"Mining of gold has to be stopped within the district until order is restored. All miners have to be registered under the local authority because their current activities are disastrous.
"We will present our resolution as a local authority to the provincial authorities," he said.
Clr Clement Majahane of Makorokoro area was concerned with what he termed social disharmony, which he said was on the increase in the area as a result of mining disputes.
"There are a lot of haphazard mining activities going on in the area. We have people coming from other areas to carry out illegal mining activities. There is tension between the miners and locals The locals have said they want to benefit from their resources hence they want foreigners to be stopped from mining.
"Some of these people have failed to produce their mining certificates but they are refusing to leave the area," said Clr Majahane.
In an interview after the meeting, the Mangwe chief executive officer, Mr Nketha Mangoye Dlamini said the local authority had passed the resolution suspending all mining activities in the district.
"As the district's local authority we are concerned because there are a number of undocumented mining activities in the district.
"A lot of violence has erupted as a result of this chaos as people are fighting one another over mining claims. That is why we passed a resolution to have these mining activities stopped until there is order. This is our standpoint as a local authority which we will then pass to the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Abedinico Ncube," he said.
Mr Dlamini said the local authority did not have records on all mining activities in the area as some miners were not registered.
"We do not have records on the total number of miners in the area.
This is because most of them do not follow the correct procedure of acquiring mines. Individuals are supposed to apply for prospecting licences from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.
"These potential miners are also expected to notify the community through reporting to the local authority. This way we will eliminate cases of individuals fighting over claims," said Mr Dlamini.
He said the illegal mining activities were severely damaging the environment.
Mining activities have recently increased in the district with the sector being regarded as one of the major economic drivers in the district.
Speaking during a special full council meeting recently, the district's council chairperson, Councillor Rolendi Mafesi Ncube said mining activities within the district had to be stopped as they had turned chaotic.
"Mining of gold has to be stopped within the district until order is restored. All miners have to be registered under the local authority because their current activities are disastrous.
"We will present our resolution as a local authority to the provincial authorities," he said.
Clr Clement Majahane of Makorokoro area was concerned with what he termed social disharmony, which he said was on the increase in the area as a result of mining disputes.
"There are a lot of haphazard mining activities going on in the area. We have people coming from other areas to carry out illegal mining activities. There is tension between the miners and locals The locals have said they want to benefit from their resources hence they want foreigners to be stopped from mining.
"Some of these people have failed to produce their mining certificates but they are refusing to leave the area," said Clr Majahane.
In an interview after the meeting, the Mangwe chief executive officer, Mr Nketha Mangoye Dlamini said the local authority had passed the resolution suspending all mining activities in the district.
"As the district's local authority we are concerned because there are a number of undocumented mining activities in the district.
"A lot of violence has erupted as a result of this chaos as people are fighting one another over mining claims. That is why we passed a resolution to have these mining activities stopped until there is order. This is our standpoint as a local authority which we will then pass to the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Abedinico Ncube," he said.
Mr Dlamini said the local authority did not have records on all mining activities in the area as some miners were not registered.
"We do not have records on the total number of miners in the area.
This is because most of them do not follow the correct procedure of acquiring mines. Individuals are supposed to apply for prospecting licences from the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.
"These potential miners are also expected to notify the community through reporting to the local authority. This way we will eliminate cases of individuals fighting over claims," said Mr Dlamini.
He said the illegal mining activities were severely damaging the environment.
Mining activities have recently increased in the district with the sector being regarded as one of the major economic drivers in the district.
Source - Byo24News
