Small-scale miners want change of mining laws

31 Jul, 2016 - 00:07 0 Views
Small-scale miners want change of mining laws miners

The Sunday News

miners 1

Dickson Mangena, Business Reporter
SMALL-SCALE miners are lobbying the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to expedite the amendment of the Mines and Minerals Act to address the problems that they have been facing chief among them “harassment” from Government agencies and police.

The Government is the process of reviewing the Mines and Minerals Act of 1963, but as it stands that law does not recognise most of the operations of small-scale miners hence they are constantly arrested.

Zimbabwe Miners Federation chief executive officer Mr Wellington Takavarasha said under the existing law, small-scale miners have been subjected to constant arrests although they have been playing a key role in gold output in the country.

“We are trying to lobby policy makers through the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development for a new law that recognises small-scale miners,” said Mr Takavarasha.

Some small-scale miners said police and the Environmental Management Authority were aware that under the existing law, most small-scale miners could not meet the requirements hence the constant raids.

However, Assistant Commissioner Cosmas Masepa, of the Minerals and Boarder Control Unit (MBCU) said the police cannot look aside when crime is committed and it was up to the miners to lobby their ministries to change the law.

“The ball is in the miners’ hands to engage the Government and push for laws that are fair to them,” said Asst Comm Masepa.

 

He added that it was not the police’s wish to be feared by citizens as their role was to protect them and uphold law and order.

“We also know that there are rogue elements in the police, some officers that are no longer part of us masquerading and swindling miners. I want to urge you that you have the right to ask for their police identification or their police station number and find out if they were really sent there,” he said.

The suggested amendments for the Mines and Minerals Act are expected to deal with challenges affecting the mining sector and include clauses on small-scale and artisanal miners and rural communities affected by mining activities.
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