Harare, (New Ziana) – Government on Tuesday cancelled all mining concessions held in national parks following an outcry over recent exploratory mining activities in Hwange National Park.
Government owned mining firm, Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), which held a concession in the Hwange area, had in partnership with a Chinese firm recently started exploratory activities in the country’s largest game reserve.
Hwange is home to the big five and other small animals and is one of the country’s major tourist attractions and game hunting area.
The miners activities stirred a public outcry by locals, who feared they would negatively impact the areas well established tourism industry.
And on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa said: “Mining on areas held by National Parks is banned with immediate effect. Steps are being undertaken to immediately cancel all mining title held in National Parks.”
The number of such titles held in national parks could not be immediately established.
Mines and Mining Development Minister, Winston Chitando Chitando said the ZMDC had held the concession since 2015.
“They (ZMDC) got a partner to undertake mining in the particular area. The procedure is when you have been granted a special grant, before you start any active exploration programme, you then apply for an Environmental Impact Assessment,” he said.
“The application was done to Environmental Management Agency and it is at this stage that the EIA has not been granted and through a review of the mining concession, Cabinet then decided that all the special grants which are held in national parks be cancelled.”
Meanwhile, Mutsvangwa said Cabinet had banned riverbed alluvial and riverbed mining on rivers with immediate effect, except on the Save and Angwa rivers where desiltation “will be allowed under very strict conditions.”
And to encourage productive use of mining concessions, all holders will be given a grace period to be announced by government to obtain EIAs and development plans failure of which they risk losing them.
“The whole objective is to have all mining operations conducted in a manner which does not harm the environment. Stiff penalties shall be aimed at all those who are not complying with environmental provisions,” said Mutsvangwa.
She said those who fail to regularize their EIA and site plan works will be deemed to be operating illegally and will be subject to stiff penalties which are currently being reviewed.
New Ziana
