The government has imposed an immediate ban on all riverbed mining and desiltation activities, citing their lack of significant benefits to the nation and the increasing environmental damage to rivers, according to a Cabinet announcement.
The Cabinet noted that pollution, siltation, and environmental degradation of rivers were getting worse rather than better.
Speaking during a Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Minister of Information, Jenfan Muswere, stated that the start of large-scale and mechanical alluvial mining has caused severe damage to rivers and disrupted river ecosystems. As a result, the Cabinet decided to ban riverbed mining with immediate effect.
“Cabinet reviewed and endorsed the Report on Alluvial Mining and Rehabilitation of Degraded Rivers, which was presented by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr. Anxious Masuka, who also chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Mining and Environment.
The Cabinet observed that since its inception in 2011 across the rural provinces, large-scale and mechanical alluvial mining, or riverbed mining, has resulted in water pollution, siltation, the degradation of river channels, and the disruption of river ecosystems. Consequently, the Cabinet has directed an immediate ban on riverbed mining,” Muswere explained.
The country is experiencing acute water shortages, which have been aggravated by illegal gold mining activities near its supply dams. These activities threaten water supplies, as illegal miners are even digging in dried-up dams, potentially leading to significant siltation and contamination.
Rivers such as the Nyagadzi in Chendambuya, Mazowe, Munyati, Insiza, Save, Mutare, and Angwa have been heavily impacted by riverbed mining, resulting in environmental damage and water resource issues. The Umzingwane Dam, a critical water source for Bulawayo, is currently at just two percent capacity and is unlikely to receive substantial inflows without extreme weather events, such as a cyclone, due to the destruction caused by illegal mining.
