Farmers grabbing mining concessions in Mutare
Licensed miners are being stopped from Mining by farmers with latter disguising that there is no miner-farmer consent yet they will eventually start mining leaving the land in complete distress, Mining Zimbabwe has learnt.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
According to the distressed miners who spoke to Mining Zimbabwe, farmers who are mainly war veterans are abusing their position in society by grabbing mining claims near their farms saying that the Mining operations are disturbing their farming.
These farmers are also said to be turning their farms into mines without seeking permits from the Ministry of Mines.
“Farmers are turning farms into Mines without seeking permission from the Ministry and Miners are stopped from mining by farmers who say they are being disturbed from farming,” said one miner.
Mining Zimbabwe has learnt from miners that, it is increasingly becoming difficult for miners to get letters of consent from farm owners to be allowed to get licences on farms since the farmers will be eyeing to take over the Mining concessions the moment they know there are minerals on their farms.
“It is very hard for miners to get a letter of consent from farm owners to be allowed to get a licence on a farm of less than 100ha,” they said.
The miners have therefore called on relevant authorities to come on board and help with the situation.
The miners have said that unsafe mining methods are being used by farmers and gold leakages are on the increase.
“We wonder were the gold task force, Police, EMA, Ministry of Mines and lands, Mutasa rural district council are when there is a lot of gold leakages and land degradation going on,” they said.
The miners also say that the farmers are not arrested by law enforcement agents despite them reporting on several occasions.
“Is our law there to protect certain individuals, these farmers are not being arrested yet it is happening in broad daylight?” they said.