Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando says foreign investors in the mining sector should respect the country’s labour and immigration laws.
Addressing small-scale miners and foreign investors at a Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF)-organised workshop in Harare on Thursday, Chitando said the government is going to take a tough stance against foreign investors that violate the country’s labour and immigration laws. He said:
I want all mining activities in Zimbabwe to be done in accordance with the laws of this country, and I repeat that they must observe the laws of this country.
We want labour and immigration laws to be observed. Government is going to take a tough stance against those who are not going to observe these laws.
It is part of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vision that mineral resources must benefit Zimbabweans and that investors get their returns or profits.
Speaking at the same event, ZMF president Henrietta Rushwaya said the ban on middlemen in the mining sector was a welcome development. She said:
We also intended to discuss the ban on exports which came as a relief for us because small-scale miners have been supplying lithium and other ores at unreasonable prices.
This was not fair at all. Just imagine selling a tonne of lithium at US$100 per tonne while the middlemen get US$800 from it, and government is losing in terms of revenue.
Other issues that were raised during the meeting were that Chinese mining companies keep clashing with local communities.
They were also accused of ill-treating workers and flouting of the country’s labour laws.
Chinese investors formed the bulk of investors that attended the meeting.