The Sunday News
Sindisiwe Sibanda, Sunday News Reporter
OVER 10 mines in Gwanda have for over a month been faced with electricity deficit following theft of Zesa copper cables.
The worst affected mines were identified as Horse Shoe Mine, New Coburg Mine, Wind Mill 4 Mine, Abe Mine, Koodoovale Strike Mine, Antinior Mine, Coke (Cork) mine, Zingela Mine, Peregrine Mine, Little Abercorn Mine 12, Little Abercorn Mine 13, Only East Mine, Berwick Mine and Joy 3 Mine.
In an interview, Mr Willem Smit the owner of Horse Shoe Mine said the problem had been ongoing for a while.
“We have been faced with this problem for some time now and we reported the crisis to different stakeholders like Fidelity and Reserve bank of Zimbabwe as they are the major stakeholders. We were hoping to come up with a possible solution together with the Ministry of Mines and Zesa. Due to no power supply to enable the functioning of water pumps, we fear an outbreak of cholera and other water-related diseases which is not good for business.
“We are appealing to the government for help as some families depend on this job,” said Mr Smit.
He added that miners managed to raise money and bought a three-kilometre line, chopped and cleared lines to try and get on with our work.
“We pledged money with other miners and bought a three-kilometre wire and the other plus or minus 10 kilometres was stolen leading us to this problem we are facing now. We reported the matter and up to today our efforts were not fruitful as we still have this crisis in our hands,” said Mr Smit.
Zesa Public Relations Manager, Mr Fullard Gwasira said they were are aware of the problem.
“This issue of vandalism has stripped our country so dry to an extent that Zesa has failed to cope and the delay to rectify the problem is not coming out of reluctance but the ability to replace these cables which are to be purchased in foreign currency. We then ask the community to be a little patient as these things take time,” said Mr Gwasira.
