Miners appeal for the scrapping of EPOs

Small to medium scale miners have appealed to the Government to scrap a mining law that protects individuals in possession of large tracts of land under an exclusive prospecting order (EPO) resulting in prospective miners struggling to obtain new claims.

Speaking during a Presidential interface meeting with small to medium scale miners from across the country under the banner, Miners for ED in Gweru yesterday, the body's national co-ordinator, Mr Rodrick Mumbire said a few elites were holding on to EPOs that give them exclusive rights to control large tracts of land of up to 35 000 hectares with the majority of prospective miners left with no place to search for gold.

"Your Excellency, we now have a problem in the mining sector which is affecting your vision of achieving a US$12 billion mining economy.

He said most of the areas under EPOs remain idle without being used.

President Mnangagwa said Government will look into the concerns of the miners with the view of correcting the anomalies in the mining sector.

He said miners were the rightful advisers to inform decision making in mining so were farmers when it comes to farming.

"We have heard of your concerns and I will ask the ministry of Mines and Mining Development to look into the matter.  I think they are already aware of what you have just said. You are the ones on the ground so you are the most affected so we take decisions informed by you as miners," said President Mnangagwa.

He said small to medium miners contribute 60 percent of the total gold mined in the country hence their importance in the growth of the economy. "We are achieving the $12 billion mining economy and at the core of this achievement are small scale miners who contribute 60 percent of that.

"So when you said you wanted an interface meeting with the President, I could not give excuses,I had to come despite the fact I came back from Angola very late.

"We have to support you and appreciate the work you are doing as miners in contributing to the growth of our economy," he said.

The President said he was happy that there was peace from among the artisanal miners with the issues to with violent machete gangs now a thing of the past.

"Under the Second Republic, we have said no to violence in the mining sector. We must mine in harmony. If there is a gold rush at (Minister Oppah) Muchinguri's mine claim we don't want issues where you go there wrestle her out of her mine and start mining yourself; this should not be tolerated and we want respect.

"We must mine in peace and harmony", he said.

The President said Government was also supporting women in mining.