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Hwange women recently took to the streets to express their worries over the long term health
effects of coal dust emanating from the mushrooming of mining entities in the town calling
on the relevant stakeholders to take action.
Speaking during an organised peaceful march recently, the women said that coal dust has
been affecting them socially and economically.
We are grateful; jobs have been created through these mines but we are crying foul over the
environmental pollution caused by the mines,” said Lorraine Mwebe a resident of Hwange.
Coal dust comes from the blasts and extractives in the morning activities. The coal dust
usually causes grey like smoke damaging plants in the surrounding areas.
We have not been able to yield anything from our gardens; the coal dust turns our vegetables
or plantation in to a greyish colour, said Anabella Nkiwani another resident.
“In areas such as Ingagula and Number 2, one cannot wear anything in white, because the
coal dust may just turn your white clothes in to grey.”
The women appealed for the mining companies to at least suppress the dust with water during
their operations.
Meanwhile, the advent of mining companies in Hwange has exacerbated environmental
pollution as evidenced by the increased natural resource depletion and harmful explorative
activities that have caused degradation.
In addition, the exploration and extraction of natural resources in Zimbabwe has been
characterised by a number of challenges including loss of traditional livelihoods, loss of
access to meaningful opportunities by women, conflicts, criminality and increased risks of
women experiencing gender based violence, poor remuneration, and dispossession of mining
claims among other issues.
Some of the shrines where locals used to go to for traditional rain asking ceremonies have
been taken over by mining companies and destroyed. The women also raised their concerns
over a lack of employment opportunities by these companies which prefer to engage men
since most of the work requires physically stronger people. As a result women have been left
to do menial jobs which do not pay well and in a society that is still patriarchal this often
results in GBV where money issues are concerned in the home.
These challenges are attributed to various factors such as; Lack of transparency by key
players in the industry.
The peaceful march was organised by Center of Natural Resources Governance, where
hundreds of Hwange women marched from St Ignatius Roman Catholic Church to TM
Square at the Hwange Town CBD.
