Illegal gold miners are reportedly digging tunnels and pits close to three historical monuments in Globe and Phoenix, Kwekwe, leaving the properties facing possible collapse.
The properties affected are the Paper House, where Rhodesia founder Cecil John Rhodes reportedly once stayed, which are part of Globe and Phoenix Mine museums, which also include a former “royal palace” now being used as a guest house by Kwekwe Consolidated Gold Mines trading as Homestake Mining Company.
Both the Paper House and the former palace are about 200 metres from the Kwekwe central business district (CBD).
The illegal gold mining activities have destroyed roads, streetlights, and other infrastructure in the Globe and Phoenix suburb.
Kwekwe town clerk Lucia Mkandla confirmed the issue to NewsDay. She said:
Yes, we are aware of complaints of some gold panners who have encroached onto people’s homes and some infrastructure.
These are poachers who are just trying to extract the minerals illegally. We have since notified the police and they are handling the matter. Therefore, I can’t comment further on the matter.
Earlier this year, authorities at Globe and Phoenix Primary School warned that the same gold panners were posing a danger to the institution.
One of the Globe and Phoenix residents, Rosemary Adolfo, wrote a letter to the Kwekwe City Council on 1 November 2022 pleading with the city fathers to intervene and curb illegal gold mining activities in the area. She wrote:
With all due respect, I am writing to notify you about the worsening state of roads and trees and the absence of streetlights in Globe and Phoenix suburb.
I and fellow residents are facing significant difficulties and dangers with the parlous state of the roads, which have not been serviced in all my 20 years of residence, streetlights again which were last attended to more than 20 years ago and the ever-increasing menace of rampant illegal mining activities which are further worsening the condition of municipal infrastructure which are roads, water and sewage reticulation as their digging is wreaking havoc in Globe and Phoenix.
Adolfo told NewsDay that the illegal gold miners were using explosives in the residential area, endangering their lives. She said:
My family can’t even go out of the yard in a car, because they have dug right by the gate,.
At this rate, we may not even be able to walk out of the yard. We have done all we can to have the problem addressed, but nothing is materialising.
We have approached many officers who have told us that their hands are tied to deal with the matter.
The high rate of unemployment in Zimbabwe has forced thousands of young people across the country to resort to illegal gold mining to eke out a living.