HARARE – Metallon Corporation-owned Mazowe Mining Company says it is facing resistance from artisanal miners who are refusing to vacate the mine for it to resume large scale operations.
The miner says following a safety inspection of pit mining operations by the ministry of mines, a directive was issued on March 24 to suspend all unsafe mining practices in the affected areas.
The order effectively halted all unsafe mining operations to pave the way for formal, regulated operations which were suspended in 2019.
“We regret that this legal government order and the mine’s plans to restore organised mining have faced resistance from some operators in the area. These actions have hindered MMC’s efforts to urgently rehabilitate mining pits and commence large-scale, safer mining operations,” the miner said in a statement this week.
ZimLive has been informed that the artisanal miners, commonly referred to as makorokoza or otsheketsha, are claiming political connections to Zanu PF elites and have vowed to stay put.
Metallon said it would collaborate with all stakeholders to end all unsafe pit mining and transition Mazowe Mining Company to secure shaft mining, thereby preventing loss of life and protecting local communities and the environment.
It said it also remained committed to resuming large-scale underground shaft operations once it is able to address the continuing illegal mining activities.
