- Nyevera calls for silicosis research, constituency awareness campaign on safety and ESG
Small-scale miners in Silobela are set to benefit from a comprehensive health, safety, and environmental blueprint, with the area’s legislator, Hon. Jona Nyevera, spearheading initiatives to tackle silicosis and entrench responsible mining practices in line with President Mnangagwa’s vision, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Hon. Nyevera, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development, has announced plans to engage local hospitals to conduct research on silicosis, a debilitating lung disease caused by prolonged inhalation of silica dust, which has silently afflicted countless artisanal and small-scale miners across the country.
In an interview, the Silobela MP said the research would form the foundation of a specialised health intervention tailored to the unique conditions of small-scale gold mining operations.
“Our miners are dying slowly from the dust they breathe every day. We cannot keep pretending the problem does not exist,” Hon. Nyevera said. “We will work with our hospital in Silobela and other health institutions to conduct proper research on silicosis among small-scale miners. The findings will guide us on how to protect our people.”
Constituency Awareness Campaign
Hon. Nyevera further revealed that a constituency-wide awareness campaign is scheduled for mid-June to early July, focusing on silicosis prevention, occupational safety, health standards, and environmental management, starting in Silobela before being rolled out nationally.
“We are going to take the message directly to the miners in Silobela, in their language, in their workplaces,” he said. “Safety, Health, and Environment (SHE) issues have been treated as an afterthought for too long. That ends now, starting here.”
The campaign will also incorporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, which Hon. Nyevera said are essential for Zimbabwean small-scale miners to access international markets and premium prices for their gold.
“ESG is not just for large mines. Our small-scale miners must also meet global standards if we want to sell our gold at fair value and attract responsible investors,” he added.
Silobela as a National Model
Hon. Nyevera declared that Silobela would lead the charge in demonstrating how small-scale miners can become champions of responsible mining under President Mnangagwa’s mantra, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” (“Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo”).
“We want to create a blueprint — a practical, homegrown blueprint — that shows how small-scale miners can operate safely, healthily, and sustainably,” he said. “Silobela will be that example. From here, the model will spread to every gold-producing area in Zimbabwe.”
Hon. Nyevera noted that the recent government policy reserving the small-scale gold sector for Zimbabwean citizens had created the enabling environment. The next step, he said, is for miners to take responsibility for their own well-being and for the development of their communities.
“The President has given us the space. Now we must show that we can be responsible stewards of our mineral wealth. That means protecting our health, protecting our environment, and protecting our workers,” he said.
Hon. Nyevera outlined that the blueprint would include:
· Regular health screenings and silicosis monitoring for miners
· Mandatory safety training and provision of protective equipment
· Environmental impact awareness and rehabilitation of mined-out areas
· Governance structures that promote transparency and community accountability
“We are not reinventing the wheel. We are adapting best practices to our reality,” he said. “Small-scale miners are the backbone of our gold sector. It is time we treated them like the professionals they are.”
The MP called on the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, the Ministry of Health, and local authorities to support the initiative.
Hon. Nyevera urged miners in Silobela and across the country to embrace the awareness campaigns and to participate actively in designing the responsible mining blueprint.
“Do not wait for someone to save you. Save yourselves. Organise. Learn. Invest in your own safety. That is what Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo truly means,” he said.
The first awareness clinics are expected to be rolled out in Silobela during the third week of June, with mobile teams visiting mining sites to conduct on-the-spot safety audits and health checks.
“We have the policy. We have the political will. Now we need the miners to lead, starting right here in Silobela,” Hon. Nyevera said.
