ZCDC calls for the end to child involvement in illegal mining
Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) earlier this month in an effort to stop the involvement of juveniles in illegal mining activities at the Chiadzwa diamond fields held an All Stakeholder Community Engagement meeting at Gandauta Secondary School in Chiadzwa to discuss possible ways to eradicate the problem.
Anerudo Mapuranga
Many children allegedly ventured into illegal diamond mining due to the constraints brought by the covid-19 pandemic as schools were closed and many businesses shut leading to hunger and starvation in many homes.
ZCDC has been commended for the initiative to seeks ways to remove juveniles from illegal or artisanal mining activities.
The Director of Centre for Natural Resource Governance Mr Farai Muguwu said artisanal mining is modern-day slavery that needs urgent formalisation and regulation.
According to Maguwu Zimbabwe’s gold and diamond mining industry is characterised by violence, frequent accidents, and corruption.
“Artisanal mining is giving people a livelihood but to a large extent, it is modern-day slavery. There is a big contradiction between what you see in the jewellery shops and the source where these minerals are extracted,” Muguwu said.
ZCDC is also rehabilitating roads in Chiadzwa and Chimanimani as well as community feeder roads which were damaged by heavy rains experienced in the areas during the just-ended rainy season
The company through the Zunde raMambo food security scheme also donated agriculture inputs to the Marange community, Chief Marange is one of the beneficiaries of agricultural inputs support given to the community by ZCDC.