Temba Mliswa goes after gold barons

Chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on mines and energy Temba Mliswa has warned that his committee will be investigating the gold sector and there won't be any 'untouchables'.

Said Mliswa, "For the purpose of national interest, my committee will be conducting an enquiry into the gold sector and there shall be no sacred cows. No one is going to remain unscathed if they are corrupt, be they politicians or private organisations."

Mliswa further implored gold minors to desist from violence and murder telling them that no mineral is worth dying for.

"I implore the small scale miners to value lives and desist from killing each other as is the case at the moment, no mineral is worth loosing lives for. Live is scared and we need to hold it as such."

Gold is one of the main drivers of Zimbabwe's shell-shocked economy, with artisanal and small-scale miners leading the charge. More than 1 million of Zimbabwe's roughly 16 million people are directly engaged in some form of mining work.

Many artisanal and small-scale gold miners engage in improper and even dangerous mining practices that have damaged the environment and the health of those who live near the mining areas.

Zimbabwe's government recently said  that China has poured millions of dollars into the gold-mining industry, but it's nearly impossible to tell whether that money makes its way to miners. Despite the uncertainty, the lure of Chinese money has Zimbabweans unearthing increasingly more gold.

Majority of gold claims in Matabeleland South and Midlands are alleged to be linked to ZANU PF  heavyweights.