News / Local
Bulawayo City Council pounces on gold panners
08 Jan 2024 at 05:33hrs | Views
BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has declared war on gold panners in Esgodini, collecting US$2 000 in fines in the process.
According to latest council minutes on the Parks Section monthly report, a joint operation between BCC rangers and police in Esigodini resulted in 17 gold panners being arrested, while 29 tickets were issued to the offenders for various offences.
"During these operations, 17 illegal gold panners were arrested and handed over to Esigodini police for prosecution. During the operations, a total of 59 tools, plus nine detector machines were confiscated and handed to police as exhibits," the minutes read.
"A total of 29 tickets were issued to the offenders for various offences and 25 tickets were paid with a sum of US$2 019,68 and four tickets were still unpaid with a value of US$6 454,98. The rangers facing attempted murder charges were acquitted in a case of shooting at 5th Avenue on February 22, 2023."
On the sale of pitsand and illegal mining, the council said 53 trucks were cornered at two pit sand sites and US$630 was collected.
"Gold panning was reported at Emhlangeni and Killarney. On November 22, BCC rangers, jointly with police and EMA [Environmental Management Agency], managed to stop illegal gold panning activities at Emhlangeni. In total, nine shafts were rehabilitated using an excavator from Engineering Services which completely levelled most of the damaged part of the area," further read the minutes.
According to latest council minutes on the Parks Section monthly report, a joint operation between BCC rangers and police in Esigodini resulted in 17 gold panners being arrested, while 29 tickets were issued to the offenders for various offences.
"During these operations, 17 illegal gold panners were arrested and handed over to Esigodini police for prosecution. During the operations, a total of 59 tools, plus nine detector machines were confiscated and handed to police as exhibits," the minutes read.
"A total of 29 tickets were issued to the offenders for various offences and 25 tickets were paid with a sum of US$2 019,68 and four tickets were still unpaid with a value of US$6 454,98. The rangers facing attempted murder charges were acquitted in a case of shooting at 5th Avenue on February 22, 2023."
On the sale of pitsand and illegal mining, the council said 53 trucks were cornered at two pit sand sites and US$630 was collected.
"Gold panning was reported at Emhlangeni and Killarney. On November 22, BCC rangers, jointly with police and EMA [Environmental Management Agency], managed to stop illegal gold panning activities at Emhlangeni. In total, nine shafts were rehabilitated using an excavator from Engineering Services which completely levelled most of the damaged part of the area," further read the minutes.
Source - southern eye
