China Africa is one of the 20 companies controversially issued with special grants by the mines ministry to explore and extract coal bed methane gas in the area. The joint venture between Chinese conglomerate Shandong Taishan Sunlight and Old Stone Investments, a local company linked to retired and serving senior Zimbabwe National Army officers, last month secured approval from the Environmental Management Agency to carry out the EIA.
This was despite the glaring environmental damage and business losses incurred by safari operators when the company carried out an exploratory EIA, which resulted in two water aquifer bursts in the conservancies .
Matshobana Ncube of Phulu and Ncube Legal Practioners this week confirmed that the farmers had engaged his company to legally stop the entire process. “We are currently working on the issue and as soon as we have all the documentation we will approach the courts. I cannot say much until we have made the final application,” said Ncube.
Stakeholders, who include newly resettled black farmers and the National Parks and Wildlife Management, said they were deliberately side-lined from the assessment process and accused Environment Guardian Services, the Bulawayo-based consultancy which did the assessment, of dishonesty and rushing to give the project a thumbs up without consulting the leadership of the Gwayi Intensive Conservancy Area.
During a recent, emotionally charged meeting held at Gwayi Hotel, angry farmers said the mining venture and tourism could not co-exist together.
“I think China Africa Sunlight is not taking us seriously. We hear people are being nicodemously consulted and some are even promised jobs and money if they agree to the project. We need to make a bold decision on whether we want mining or to kill our tourism industry. If this project goes ahead Hwange National Park will be history,” said the chairman of the Gwayi ICA, Mark Russell.
Since the commencement of the coal exploration by the mining companies in the province, there has been an outcry from environmentalists, wildlife conservationists and the local communities following an increase in cases of poaching, siltation and water pollution.
Post published in: News