Zimbabwean Government Shields Foreign Mining Companies Accused Of Environmental Degradation
The Zimbabwean government has defended foreign mining companies amid growing allegations of exploitation of local workers and environmental degradation.
Several Chinese-owned companies, in particular, have been accused of destroying the environment, including polluting rivers, as they aggressively mine for lithium and other valuable minerals in the country.
The increasing scramble for resources has raised concerns about the environmental impact and the treatment of local employees, with accusations that government officials are turning a blind eye to these violations.
During a recent Parliamentary session, Caston Matewu, the Marondera Central MP from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), raised questions about the operations of foreign mining companies, urging the government to take action.
In response, Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is also the Leader of Government Business in Parliament, defended the foreign firms, saying that all mining companies, regardless of ownership, are operating in compliance with Zimbabwe’s laws. Said Ziyambi (via NewZimbabwe.com):
Firstly, I want to say that there is no massive plundering of minerals. That is overstretching the so-called foreigners. There is no foreigner who is coming here and mining illegally.
They are following the confines of the law and the majority of them are doing whatever is required according to the laws.
The communities are supposed to benefit. The miners are supposed to follow the environmental laws that are supposed to be there and they are supposed to also do their community corporate social responsibilities.
Moreover, they also pay royalties and taxies even to our Rural District Councils. So, I believe that Hon. Members can suggest what they believe must be done that is outside the laws that are already existing instead of over-dramatising and saying plundering of communities.
We need to say that as legislators, that this is as far as what the law can provide but we believe it is short of what should be done to ensure that our communities benefit.
Dissatisfied with Ziyambi’s response, Matewu challenged the government to ensure that local communities directly benefit from the mineral extraction, urging that the wealth generated from Zimbabwe’s resources should be used to improve the livelihoods of the people living in mining areas. He said:
However, my question still remains— what are you going to do to make sure? This is because when we went for budget consultations with most of the Members of Parliament in here, it was clear from those residents that they are not benefitting anything.
The roads in Mvurwi are being damaged but they are taking chrome day in, day out. What are you doing to make sure that those people who are in those areas get something out of the activities?
A Chinese mining company is facing accusations of destroying the scenic Boterekwa area in the Shurugwi District, a once picturesque location now said to be severely impacted by mining activities.
Earlier this month, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) imposed a ban on two Chinese mining companies—Riverlion (Pvt) Ltd, located on the Hurungwe side, and Baimei Investments—after they were suspected of causing significant environmental damage through their alluvial mining operations along the Sanyati River.
The companies are reportedly using heavy machinery, including excavators and water pumps, to extract minerals.
More: Pindula News
