By Brighton Chiseva
I stepped off the bus at Muchibwa Business Centre in Renco Mine area from Masvingo, with weary eyes scanning the familiar landscape and trying to think of the shortest route home in Chiponda Village, just across Nhedzewa stream.
As I walked towards home, I decided to take a detour along the old path across the stream. The brook, which we used to cross on our way to Muchibwa Primary School, was now a shadow of its former self.
The water had long receded, leaving behind a vast expanse of sand and rocks. I remembered a few months ago when I last crossed the brook, when the river flowed gently, its crystal-clear waters reflecting the sunlight. All seemed normal but now the stream is in a bad state.
As I approached the riverbed, he was struck by the changes that had taken place within a short space of time. The area was now teeming with people, digging and panning for gold.
The sound of pickaxes striking the earth and the murmur of conversations filled the air. My heart sank as I realized that the chikorokoza, or illegal gold panning, had finally reached our doorstep.
Though there were cases of panning in the same river in the previous years, the rate was very low and serious illegal mining activities were mainly reported in areas like Manyama, Hwendedzo and Bhani in the District and some in Zaka just across Mutirikwi and I never imagined it would come so close to home.
One of the panners, a young woman and also a relative of mine, looked up and looked at me. She smiled wearily and began to speak about the harsh reality of their situation.
“Kule (uncle) this process is laborious, and we get very little from the tiresome work we do, but we have no option. No one gets enough to spare, it’s just a way of putting food on the table and, in some instances, sending children to school itonditsvakiraiwo basa kutown (please get me a job in town),” she said.
Another one said they were aware of the dangers of the work they do as it also poses risky to their animals and the ultimate result of the damage also affect them as they live in the area.
“We acknowledge the need to protect the environment, but we’re in a desperate situation and are only looking for survival strategies. These pits pose the same risks to us as they do to others. We have animals as well and other consequences have a way of catching up with us but we do not have an option,” said the panner.
I understood the desperation that drove people to this work, people are mining for a living while destroying the future. However, my fear was not just the environmental degradation, but the violence often accompanied with illegal gold panning.
We often hear stories of clashes between panners and authorities in other areas, and the thought of it happening in our community is unbearable.
The result of the panning is a trail of destruction, including water pollution, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity. Silt from the Tetenu River, exacerbated by panning in both Tetenu and Nhedzewa, and is flowing into the Nyamaunga River, a major tributary of the Mutirikwi River, which ultimately feeds into Bangala Dam. This raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of the ecosystem and water supply.
However, the situation was not peculiar in Muchibwa area but was worse in Muvango and Mashapa areas where people are panning in flowing streams that directly feeds into Mutirikwi River.
Ward 25 councilor Tarusenga Mapamba said the situation was not unique to Nhedzewa but was even worse in Muvango and Muzondo villages. Mapamba believes the situation was a desperate measure by locals to survive following Renco Mine’s failure to pay workers for over half a year.
“We recently had a tough time rescuing a cow that had fallen in one of the pits in Muvango Village. Until Renco Mine pay workers, the situation will continue and escalate. Many of the people involved are Renco Mine workers who are trying to make ends meet.
“Chasing them out is not a viable option as well as that would lead to theft and other consequences as they try to make ends meet,” said Mapamba.
One villager Simbarashe Musheche from Musheche Village corroborated Mapamba’s concerns, stating that panners were active in Nyabata River, up to Maramba village and Mavhugwi area some areas that used to be crossing points were no longer viable due to the pits left by panners
“Youths, women, and children are the major panners. Areas that we used to cross with scotch carts are no longer crossable even on foot. The damage is very terrible and the river flows directly into Mutirikwi and the gradient from the areas downwards is very steep making it easier for the whole loose sand to find its way into the river and eventually into Bangala Dam,” said Musheche.
Musheche called for authorities to intervene and save the community from poverty, particularly Renco Mine to pay workers saying it was the only way that saves the environment.
“We call upon Renco Mine to restore its former glory. People in villages around Renco work in the mine and those who doesn’t rely on the mine as well through doing menial jobs for workers as well as selling different wares for survival and in the absence of salaries, people resort to this kind of alternative to make a living,” said Musheche.
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Masvingo Provincial Environmental Education and Publicity Officer Munyaradzi Mutisi said the agency had received reports of the on goings in the said areas and investigations were carried out.
He said they had since engaged with the Zimbabwe Republic Police who were handling the matter and conducting patrols in the affected areas.
“The Agency received report of illegal gold panning then responded promptly by conducting an inspection upon which our findings outlined that illegal gold mining was happening. The Agency raised the issue with the Zimbabwe Republic Police which has initiated patrols in the affected area and is currently handling the matter,” said Mutisi.
The question remains, can a way be found to break this cycle of poverty and environmental degradation? As the community struggles to survive, it is clear that a solution is urgently needed. Poverty doesn’t have to mean pollution, but it will take concerted effort from all stakeholders to find a way forward that balances livelihoods with environmental sustainability.
