Sharon Chigeza
MUTARE-Residents and civil society organisations have raised alarm at the continued destructive mining operations on the city’s iconic Christmas Pass Mountain, warning they are putting residents, schools, and the local environment in grave danger.
In a stark warning to, Farai Maguwu, director of the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG), revealed that these activities are jeopardising lives and infrastructure. He called for responsible investment and the respect of the environment which has sustained the people over the years.
He pointed directly to Section 73 of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens the right to a safe environment.
“What is happening at Christmas Pass is a direct violation of that right,” Maguwu stated. “They are mining high up the mountain, and directly beneath them is a residential area where people have invested in their homes.”
The specific method of mining is intensifying the threat. Maguwu explained that the open-cast technique is violently ripping the mountain apart, destabilising its structure and scattering debris.
“When the rains come, catastrophic mudslides are inevitable, and the cost will be borne by the communities living below,” he warned.
The environmental damage is also predicted to extend to Mutare River and connected water bodies like the Odzi and Save rivers. The danger also looms over a cluster of prestigious schools.
“To the far right, Hillcrest College, Primary, and Secondary schools all risk being buried under a barrage of mudslides from this mining,” Maguwu said.
Despite the clear peril, no remedial action has been taken and the situation continues unabated. Residents of the Toronto suburb have reportedly petitioned the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), but according to Maguwu, their pleas have been met with silence. He attributes the inaction to weak law enforcement and poor coordination among government departments. “In a functional system, people would be arrested for what they are doing at this ecologically sensitive place,” he asserted.
This sentiment was partially confirmed by the EMA. Alice Rutsvara, the agency’s provincial education and publicity officer, declared that any mining in the area is illegal. She confirmed that the EMA had rejected an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the “Toronto Mine” and that no certified projects exist there.
“From our records, any mining operations that may be occurring should be deemed illegal,” Rutsvara said. “As EMA, we will continue to conduct monitoring inspections to ensure total compliance… using the whole of Government approach.”
