Illegal miners threaten Bulawayo infrastructure projects

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has raised alarm over the escalating invasion of its Khumalo gravel pit by illegal gold miners, warning that the activities of these panners threaten to derail critical road, water, and sewer infrastructure projects. The council fears that if left unchecked, this illegal mining could force the city to incur costs of over US$4 million to decommission and backfill the site.

Gravel from the Khumalo pit, along with two other sites in Pumula and Richmond, is vital for Bulawayo's civil works, including road construction and water and sewer projects. However, the Khumalo pit has now joined a growing list of sites across the city that have been overrun by illegal miners searching for gold.

The invasion comes as Bulawayo battles a broader, unregulated gold rush, with hundreds of panners operating in various suburbs, including targeting educational and business institutions. Recently, the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) had to enlist the support of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to remove panners from its campus. Suburbs such as Killarney, Mqabuko Heights, Queenspark, and Mahatshula have also been affected.

Council fears that illegal mining could cause structural damage to roads, buildings, and power infrastructure. In some cases, panners are digging just metres away from homes and public utilities.

According to BCC's latest minutes, if the Khumalo pit is lost, gravel for projects in the eastern suburbs and central business district would have to be sourced from Pumula and Richmond, increasing transportation costs significantly.

"The Khumalo pit is the primary source of gravel for civil works, specifically for supplying decomposed gravel used in road construction, water and sewer bedding, and backfill materials in the eastern suburbs and CBD areas," BCC noted. "Decommissioning the pit would leave the Richmond and Pumula pits as the remaining sources, significantly increasing haul distances."

Council estimates that fully backfilling the pit within six months would cost around US$4.1 million, but officials warn that backfilling alone is unlikely to stop illegal mining, as panners are now accessing the site through underground tunnels.

"The continued presence of these illegal gold miners endangers lives of residents in the area and contributes to environmental degradation. Council is exploring ways of addressing the situation, such as decommissioning the pit, but at a high financial cost," BCC stated.

Council is also considering erecting a 1 350-metre fence around the pit, but admits that previous experiences suggest fences will likely be dismantled or bypassed by the determined miners. Heightened security was considered but dismissed as unfeasible due to limited manpower and resources.

Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Councillor Edwin Ndlovu told Zimpapers that council cannot allow criminal elements to disrupt service delivery or inflate costs for ratepayers.

"It's part of our mandate to ensure that road construction is done at a cost that does not empty council coffers," said Cllr Ndlovu. "The Khumalo pit should be left to operate at a cost that will not burden ratepayers. Gravel from the pit is also critical in water and sewer projects, which residents expect us to carry out at a reasonable cost."

He said the council would continue working with law enforcement agencies to clear illegal miners from the affected suburbs.

Residents living near the pit expressed safety concerns, especially after dark. "It's difficult to see who works there as they operate at night. As residents, we are afraid they might turn on us for valuables like cell phones and cash," said Mr Mike Hlabangana of Killarney suburb.

As Bulawayo grapples with the illegal gold rush, the future of its infrastructure projects hangs in the balance, with residents and officials alike calling for urgent and decisive action.