ED urges responsible mining, greater community benefit

Bulawayo (New Ziana) – Mining companies and other industries that extract and process minerals in the country should adhere to responsible mining methods and give importance to corporate social responsibility programmes to ensure good relations with local communities, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Thursday.

He made the call when he officially opened the 26th edition of the Mining, Engineering, and Transport Exhibition (Mine Entra) at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Exhibition here.

President Mnangagwa said local communities should benefit from the extraction of resources in their areas beyond corporate social responsibility programmes such as provision of education and health facilities.

Instead, he said the benefit should be support for sustained project production and productivity endeavours of local communities.

“As various mining houses and downstream industries extract and process minerals, I urge you to remain mindful of your obligation to engage the communities surrounding your operations. Matters related to environmental, social and governance investment programmes remain critical in order to maintain relations with local communities. Local communities should benefit from the extraction of resources within their vicinity,” he said.

“Greater focus should be placed on supporting production and productivity endevours within communities as opposed to a purely social welfare approach and social service infrastructure,” he said.

President Mnangagwa implored mining companies to adhere to the Responsible Mining Initiative which was launched by government last year.

“We only have one Zimbabwe and our mineral resources are finite. Let’s always be good stewards and remain sensitive to the collective needs and the quests to improve the quality of life of our great country while you make your profits,” he said.

He also said mineral beneficiation was a key government policy thrust which players in the industry should always bear in mind.

Government, he said, wanted to use this as part of the country’s industrialisation drive, and develop key infrastructure such as roads and energy.

“To this end, I challenge mining sector stakeholders to invest in renewable energy and other strategic infrastructure in our country to further precipitate efficiencies and competitiveness of our mining sector. It is important to note that for our country to effectively beneficiate mineral resources, it is necessary that we have a well-trained and adequately equipped labour force together with enabling institutions, networks as well as vibrant ICT ecosystem,” President Mnangagwa said.

He noted that the adoption of new technologies, innovation and inventions in the mining sector is essential for the growth of the industry, and to minimise negative environmental footprints associated with mining.

“The Minister of Mines is directed to ensure that amendment to the Mines and Minerals Act are finalised. Similarly, the adoption of the Minerals Value Addition and Beneficiation policy should be expedited. This particular policy seeks to promote resource-based industrialisation and provides a framework for translating the comparative advantages of our country`s mineral resources elements to the growth of our domestic economy,” he said.
“It is also aligned to our national industrialisation policy towards enhancing quality and quantity of our exports, employment creation as well as growing the knowledge economy,” he said.

President Mnangagwa Zimbabweans to be innovative and think beyond the present to emerge trailblazers in the mining and manufacturing sectors, riding on the country’s mineral resource base.

“On its part, my government remains committed to creating a conducive environment which attracts the necessary global capital and technologies,” he said.

“The mining sector has a central role in the acceleration of modernisation and industrialisation of our country and our economy, the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region and Africa as whole. This platform plays a pivotal role in connecting stakeholders and exploring innovative solutions to further drive and grow the sector.”

New Ziana