Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. HARARE, May. 27 (NewsDay Live) – The Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) says illegal chrome mining taking place under the cover of darkness is a “new cancer” in the mining sector.
During a recent plenary discussion at Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe annual general meeting, ZMF president Henrietta Rushwaya threatened to name and shame those involved as a way of protecting legitimate small-scale miners.
Rushwaya accused the operators, often backed by foreign capital, of damaging the image of the mining sector.
“It is very unfortunate that, we as small-scale miners, continue to carry the label of illegal miners, while those sophisticated syndicates run operations on our claims at night,” she said.
“These aren’t just illegal miners, they are criminal entrepreneurs exploiting the system, undermining our livelihoods and destabilising our mining communities.
“They operate with impunity, bringing trucks and excavators after sundown. By dawn, major damage would have already been done overnight.”
Added Rushwaya: “ZMF believes that public shaming will act as a powerful deterrent and compel law enforcement and regulatory bodies to take decisive action.
“We are making a clarion call to the minister to allow us to name and shame those illegal miners, who have overtaken us, stolen our identity and caused a lot of land degradation. ”
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