Zimbabwe’s small-scale mining sector can strengthen its contribution to the country’s Vision 2030 ambitions by embracing responsible mining, formalisation and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles, Zimbabwe Mining Safety, Health and Environmental Council (ZIMSHEC) Executive Director and Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) Midlands Chairman Makumba Nyenje has said.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Speaking at the Zimbabwe Alternative Mining Indaba (ZAMI) 2026 in Bulawayo, Nyenje encouraged miners to learn from established mining operations that have developed strong environmental and social systems, saying such practices could provide useful lessons for the continued transformation of Zimbabwe’s small-scale mining sector.
His intervention was delivered both from the perspective of an organisation focused on mining safety and responsible operations and as a representative of the small-scale mining constituency through his role as ZMF Midlands chairman.
Nyenje said a recent visit to a mining operation in Zvishavane had demonstrated the progress that could be achieved when ESG considerations are incorporated into mining operations.
“I would like to applaud the big miners, the big mines,” Nyenje said. “We have come on board, especially those doing critical minerals. They have demonstrated that they are upholding the environmental, social and governance systems, the new phenomenon which is being pushed by the Minister of Mines and Mining Development.”
He said the visit had provided practical lessons that could be adopted across the mining industry, including by artisanal and small-scale operators.
“What we saw there is actually a big eye-opener, especially to the mining fraternity,” he said. “They are observing the highest level of environmental, social and governance. I think there are great lessons or great key takeaways for artisanal and small-scale miners for us to emulate them.”
Rather than presenting ESG as a burden on smaller operators, Nyenje said responsible mining should form part of the sector’s transformation as miners seek to build sustainable businesses and strengthen their relationship with communities.
“It is of paramount importance that as small-scale miners we uphold issues to do with environmental, social and governance,” he said. “So much so that those communities living around our areas where we are doing mining, they also appreciate that we are positively impacting on their lives.”
Nyenje linked the adoption of responsible mining practices directly to the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining.
“In our bid to turn around the artisanal and small-scale mining sector to formalise, we would want them also to uphold basic tenets of responsible mining towards sustainable mining practices,” he said. “You cannot achieve that if you are not embracing environmental, social and governance at your mining places.”
He proposed that individual mining operations should begin developing specialised capacity to help improve standards across the sector.
“Every miner, every artisanal and small-scale miner, should at least have one specialist specialising in these issues, so much so that our levels get transformed into those of law-abiding miners,” Nyenje said.
The approach, he suggested, would help miners develop greater capacity around areas such as safety, environmental management and regulatory compliance while contributing to the broader professionalisation of the sector.
Small-scale miners part of Vision 2030
A central part of Nyenje’s message was that Zimbabwe’s small-scale miners should not view the country’s national development agenda as something separate from their own activities.
Instead, he urged the sector to see itself as an important participant in the government’s Vision 2030 programme.
“We don’t want to leave behind every miner towards Vision 2030 and beyond,” he said. “We foresee ourselves also augmenting efforts by the government, NDS2 and other strategies to come.”
Nyenje said the development of Zimbabwe’s mining economy would require the participation of miners across the sector.
“We know they are coming because we want to grow the mining economy, we want to impact positively towards development of this country,” he said.
He therefore encouraged small-scale miners to position themselves to participate in the country’s broader economic transformation.
“We want to encourage all small-scale miners not to be left behind or not to lag behind,” he said. “We want them to go with the mantra: Vision 2030 and beyond.”
The comments also reinforce the role of small-scale mining within Zimbabwe’s wider mining development strategy, particularly as the sector continues to contribute significantly to mineral production and provides livelihoods across mining communities.
For Nyenje, the opportunity is for small-scale miners to take lessons from operations that have already developed stronger ESG systems and adapt those practices to their own circumstances.
His message at ZAMI 2026 was ultimately one of inclusion: as Zimbabwe works towards Vision 2030, the transformation of the mining industry should involve miners at every level.
Small-scale miners, he said, have a role to play in building a more formal, responsible and sustainable mining industry — and in ensuring that the country’s mineral wealth contributes to development beyond the present generation.
