Mining corporations must invest in community development
Marange community is urging mining corporations to make them beneficiaries of the minerals they extract from their land.
By Shantel Chisango
A resident of the Marange community, Billian Matambo, stressed the necessity of being made benefactors of mineral extraction, saying that infrastructural development by mining companies is vital.
“We need permanent structures built by mining companies that are mining from our community,” said Matambo.
He further went on to emphasise the importance of community development by mining companies saying diamonds are non-renewable hence the need to develop vicinities while exploring minerals.
Adding on, Matambo said that diamonds are non-renewable minerals, that is why communities are urging companies to develop their land.
“Modern schools, better roads, bridges, and modern hospitals must be established so that when the mining companies are gone, we can have something tangible that will be of benefit to us,” he added.
Mining companies continue to enter remote communities to search for exploitable mineral reserves and most of these frontier locations are home to indigenous, poor and vulnerable people.
Sarin (2006) says mining may have the potential to have positive development impacts, but companies can inadvertently or carelessly exacerbate an already poor situation for some community members, particularly those with the least resources.
Adding to people’s vulnerability is the fact that the legal frameworks of many mining frontiers fail to adequately protect civil rights or are ineffective, corrupt or not trusted.
The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), concludes that governance weakness, particularly at the sub-national level, is the main factor limiting positive development impacts from mining companies, (McPhail, 2008).