Bulawayo, (New Ziana) –There is need for greater empowerment and formalisation of artisanal and small-scale miners as the subsector has become the backbone of the gold industry and critical to the mining-led industrialisation drive, an industry official has said.
In an interview on Tuesday, Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) president Henrietta Rushwaya said artisanal and small-scale miners, who account for more than 60 percent of gold production, should be supported through deliberate policies, financing and skills development to enable them to contribute more meaningfully to the economic transformation of the country.
“The inclusive growth would only be achieved if Government and industry prioritised the formalisation and empowerment of artisanal and small-scale miners,” she said.
“We urgently need specialised beneficiation skills to support our smelters and refineries. This requires a national skills strategy aligned with industry needs,” she added.
Rushwaya said local communities should also derive tangible economic benefits from mining activities through deliberate procurement policies, adding a percentage of all non-core mining services such as catering, transport and security must be legally reserved for local community enterprises.
“Mining companies should also be required to invest in developing local suppliers through skills transfer and financing instead of relying on imported goods and services,” she said.
She said mining companies should also be mandated to invest in developing local suppliers through skills transfer and financing, not just importing ready-made solutions.
“A mining project should give birth to new towns and industries, not just a mine,” she implored.
Rushwaya however, expressed concern over the heavy dependence on imported mining consumables, saying about 70 percent of supplies that sector uses are sourced from outside the country, representing a missed opportunity for local industrial development.
“As a federation, we are proposing a mandatory local procurement policy requiring mining companies to source a defined percentage of goods such as personal protective equipment, explosives and steel products from Zimbabwean manufacturers to stimulate domestic production,” she said.
She also urged the country to strengthen linkages between mining, agriculture and the energy sector, saying mining infrastructure and investment should catalyse wider economic development.
“We must create a minerals-energy nexus using our resources to power the grid while agricultural communities supply food to mining operations, creating mutually beneficial value chains,” she said.
Rushwaya also called for greater transparency and accountability in the management of mineral revenues, saying communities should benefit more directly from the mineral wealth.
“Mining companies should publicly disclose revenues, taxes and community contributions while local authorities should effectively utilise mining levies to develop roads, schools and health facilities,” she said.
She called for legally binding community development agreements to replace traditional corporate social responsibility programmes, ensuring mining projects leave behind sustainable infrastructure, industries and livelihoods.
New Ziana
