Small scale and artisanal miners have bemoaned delays by Fidelity Printers in processing their payments for gold deliveries, which have forced some of the miners to sell their gold on the black market where there is ready cash.
The miners said the processing of payment was taking up to a month after they deliver their gold to Fidelity. Speaking at a meeting, which was attended by Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube in Gweru last week, the miners urged him to look into the matter.
One of the miners, Mr. Simbarashe Mutukwa, said the delays were affecting production at their mines, thereby depriving the Government of much-needed foreign currency.
“Minister Ncube, we are concerned with the delays in the payment of gold delivered to Fidelity,” he said. “We have been forced to wait for close to two weeks for payment after delivering our gold to Fidelity. This is slowing down production at our mining sites.
“May you please assist us so that we get our payment instantaneously. This also helps in plugging the gold leakages.”
Another miner, Mr. Gerald Gonde, said corruption was now rife at mines with mine owners bribing officials to be allowed to sell gold on the black market.
“It is not by choice that some are now bribing even the Fidelity officials so that they are allowed to take part of their gold into the black market, it is because there are delays in payments by Fidelity and we are not sure where the problem is,” he said.
Minister Ncube said the Government will look into the matter and ensure that Fidelity made the payment for the gold delivered, to plug leakages.
“We have heard the concerns from gold miners that there have been delays in the payment of gold delivered to Fidelity,” he said.
“We are going to expedite the payment of miners who deliver their gold to Fidelity.”