Nyashadzashe Ndoro
Chief Reporter
Small-scale miners in Zimbabwe have demanded legal recognition, citing their significant contribution to the country's gold production and the need for formalization to access financial assistance and machinery.
The Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF), on Friday, held a strategic meeting at Cresta Lodge in Harare, where its president Henrietta Rushwaya emphasised the need for small-scale miners to be recognised at law.
The call to action is motivated by the significant contribution small-scale miners make to the country's gold production, accounting for 65% of the total output in 2024.
Rushwaya rebuked the government's treatment of small-scale miners, who produce between US$1.8 billion to US$2 billion annually, yet are not recognized at law. This lack of recognition hinders their ability to access financial assistance, machinery, and other essential resources.
The ZMF president stressed that recognising small-scale miners at law would not only legitimise their operations but also enable them to contribute more significantly to the country's economy.
Rushwaya set an ambitious target of increasing gold production to 30 tonnes 2025, up from 24 tonnes in 2024.
"If you look at the gold production, like I estimated earlier on, we did 24 tonnes. What stops us from doing 30 tonnes this year. It is through hard work and collaborative efforts that has made us to be where we are today," Rushwaya stated.
"Because of that hard work, we have now said to the government, you cannot continue to have a child who is producing and yet you don't recognise that child at law. Let's have a small-scale miner being recognised at law in this country.
"Do you know more often than not we have approached the government with regards the need to be assisted financially, whether from a machinery perspective or any other perspective, the government would say 'how do we help you? We cannot even give you a grant because you're not recognised at law'. But the person you're not recognising is the one who is producing US$1.8 billion to US$2 billion per year."
Representatives from Fidelity Gold Refinery, Zimbabwe's sole buyer and exporter of gold, also attended the meeting.
Zim Now WriterThe Zimbabwe Republic Police has confirmed the deaths of two poachers following a shootout with Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority rangers in the Musingwizi area of Makuti ..
ZimbabweAudrey GalawuAssistant EditorKhayah Cement Limited, a prominent cement manufacturer operating since 1954, has formally commenced corporate rescue proceedings. This follows the adoption of a resoluti..
ZimbabwePesanai DhliwayoRadical PoetryKisimusi yatosvikaTatova munaZvita.Inyasha kurarama musiki vazviita.Gore richitanga taisafunga tinosvika.Tinopemberera navose varikupinda musvitsa.Ndafunga makare ching..
Zimbabwe
Leave Comments