Mining sector reforms on the cards

In an interview on the side-lines of a recent mining consultative meeting, Deputy Mines Minister Gift Chimanikire said the present Mines and Minerals Development Act was riddled with loopholes which made it possible for corrupt people to abuse the nation’s precious minerals. He said even though several amendments have been made to the law since the inception of the inclusive government in 2009, a lot of grey areas still remain hence the need to completely re-write the law.

“Cabinet has approved that we come up with a new mining law altogether. The amendments we have tried to make touch on everything in the present law, so we said let’s write new legislation,” said Chimanikire.

He added that cabinet had also given a green light to the writing of a new mines and minerals policy to lay a base for the new law. “We are going around the country asking people what they want included in this new policy. We want to totally weed out corruption in the mining sector. New measures need to be put in place so that the entire nation benefits from its resources – instead of only a few fat cats,” reiterated Chimanikire.

Big companies wanting to mine in Zimbabwe have to get approval from the Mining Affairs Board, which is chaired by the Permanent Secretary in the mines ministry and reports to the President. Small scale miners have complained that the current law limits ordinary people from getting into the sector due to bureaucracy and exorbitant licence fees. New measures will see the realignment of the Mining Affairs Board which will be tasked to report to Parliament instead of the President. Relaxation will also be enforced on procedures of getting mining rights. Small-scale miners will also be regularised and accorded training as artisanal miners.

Wellington Takavarasha, President of the Small-scale Miners of Zimbabwe group, said the gazetting of a new mining law would boost the economy. “In 2004, small-scale miners produced 16 tonnes of gold but by last year the figure had dropped to just two tonnes.

The reason was that the Government of that time tightened laws for this group to enable space for the big fish. If we have a new law, we can go back to such high production which is good for the economy,” he said.