Chinese Miner Invades Matobo Ranch, Defies EMA & Mines Ministry Officials
A Chinese miner, Edsabri (Private) Limited, faces arrest after invading Inyorka ranch in Matobo District, Matabeleland South Province.
The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) working with the provincial mining office and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have ordered the company to leave the ranch, owned by Philip Mpofu.
In spite of being issued with tickets and orders twice, the group continued mining illegally and they did not have an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Report.
Speaking during an interview with CITE, EMA Matabeleland South Provincial Manager, Davy Ndlovu, said:
The first time we found them doing alluvial mining on a river bed, we removed them and issued a ticket.
They then moved to the next site where they bought a mine illegally to continue their operations.
We also gave them a ticket and an order. The next move is to go with the police and arrest them.
The first ticket fine was for ZWL$500 000 and the second one was for ZWL$20 000 where they were doing prospecting.
Now we will open a docket and have them arrested because we understand they are back again.
When you tell someone to stop mining you expect them to stop but they have not, meaning they are disrespecting our procedures.
They must stop their illegal activities and they don’t even have an EIA.
Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Matabeleland South Provincial Mining Director Khumbulani Mlangeni confirmed the matter when contacted for a comment by CITE. He said:
Yes, we wrote a letter to the police to that effect. When we received the complaint we went to the ground and we established they are not supposed to be mining anywhere.
They (the Chinese) claim to have applied for a special grant and they were mining within a river bed, which is banned nationally.
So we wrote a letter to the police at the time we received the complaint last year. I’m not sure if the police have acted yet but this morning Mr Mpofu said there are still people there.
The owner of the ranch, Mpofu, want the Chinese to move out of his property, as they are causing environmental degradation.
