…Bikita Minerals slime dam cuts off hundreds from only water source
By Beverly Bizeki
For decades, dozens of families from Murape village in Ward 11, Bikita West have relied on water from a protected well at Nollen Farm for domestic use but the construction of a slime dam by Bikita Minerals (Sinomine) has left them, together with their livestock, stranded without access to a reliable safe source of water.
The slime dam, in which the mine deposits residue from its mining activities has put over 200 people in a tight spot, especially in the face of the El Nino-induced drought that has seen people and animals scrambling for limited water sources.
The situation, according to Ward 11 councilor Lawrence Vhovha is so dire that some villagers now have to travel for about 4km to fetch water from the nearby Badmore Primary School.
“Some of the affected people have been here since the late 1990s and have always relied on this water source. The construction of the slime dam came as a surprise as we were never consulted prior, of which we were always aware that the water source was in the premises of the mining company.
“When construction started last year, people were still able to sneak in to fetch water but the situation has worsened since the trenches are now deeper such that it is now impossible to get through,” said Cllr Vhovha.
Efforts to get a comment from the mine were futile as the Public Relations Officer Collen Nikisi was not going through and not did respond to questions sent to him on WhatsApp.
In a press statement, Bikita Institute of Land and Development (BILAD) condemned the development and said this was a violation of human rights as the community was being denied access to clean water.
“Dozens of families in Murape Village, which is in the old Nollen Farm are now fetching water for domestic use from an open gully because Bikita Minerals closed off a deep protected well that had been their source of portable water for decades. Bikita Minerals (Sinomine) claims that the well is located within its mining lease area and forgets that villagers have the right to clean water as provided for by the constitution.
“By suddenly banning access to the well without providing an alternative, the company has violated that right. Given this, BILAD condemns the apparent disregard of genuine concerns of villagers,” reads the statement.
BILAD also noted that the construction of the slime dam was battering the environment due to serious leaks from the dam.
“Communities living close to the Bikita Minerals Slimes Dam are complaining that the environment is being battered by serious leaks from the dam. We are convinced that the dam was not properly built and is not fit for purpose. This is a direct result of the hurried and non-consultative Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) done by the mining company.
“The toxic waste and pollutants that leak from the dam pose a severe danger to the environment, the people, and animals. BILAD made its assessment and found that the dam was not properly sited and should have been built elsewhere further from human settlements,” the statement reads.
Bikita Residents and Ratepayers Association (BIRRA) also wrote to Bikita Rural District Council saying the cutting off of the reliable water source has left villagers at God’s mercy as they are forced to get water from streams and ponds which have contaminated water from the mine.
In the letter, addressed to Bikita Rural District Council (RDC) Chief Executive Officer, District Development Coordinator, and Chairperson, BIRRA said the construction of the dam was worsening an already bad situation caused by the ongoing drought and cholera outbreak.
“The construction of the dam has left us without access to safe drinking water forcing many residents to resort to unprotected sources, streams, and ponds with water contaminated by chemicals from mining operations. We are losing our livestock daily.
“Additionally the ongoing drought has further reduced the availability of water resources leading to increased competition and conflict among community members and livestock,” reads the letter.
BIRRA requested Bikita RDC to consider drilling a new borehole for the community as part of its essential responsibilities.
“We therefore, understanding that it is your mandate to provide safe water as part of your essential responsibilities, demand that Bikita RDC, conduct a thorough assessment of the community’s water needs and identify a suitable location for the new borehole; secure funding and resources necessary for drilling and installation of the borehole including any necessary equipment and infrastructure.
“The RDC must also engage the community in the planning and implementation process to ensure local ownership and sustainability of the project as well as establish a maintenance plan to ensure the continued functionality of the borehole,” the letter reads.
There is also an issue with a number of families who now have to vacate the area as they are said to have had settled in the mine’s lease area, with the construction of the dam now posing a risk to their lives due to the residue’s fumes.
“About eight or ten families that were settled in the premises are forced to relocate from the farm because they are at risk due to the proximity of the dam. Some have already vacated the place while others are still in the process of removing roofing sheets and other building materials from their houses as they prepare to leave. Some of the houses are on the verge of sinking and it is quite sad to witness,” said Cllr Vhovha.
Sources say the mine is of the argument that lab tests were done to determine the safety of the water from the well, after which it was found to be contaminated, results that were refuted by the villagers who insisted that they had been using the same water source for 25 years without any problems.
“Villagers disagree with whatever findings the mine claim to have on the water from the well because all of a sudden the water is said to be not safe for drinking despite them using the same source of water for over two decades, just because the mine wants to justify its construction of the slime dam,” the source said.
The situation is also affecting school children from Bikita Fashu who used to walk approximately 2km through the farm going to school.
“Children who used to take shortcuts through the farm on their way to school are now walking for longer distances, more than double the distance they used to walk since they are taking a longer route around the slime dam.
“We are aware that the premise belongs to the mining company and they have rights over the land but our plea is for the responsible authority to avail another source of water outside the premise because people are now at risk of the cholera pandemic in the country,” said Cllr Vhovha.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa in November last year commissioned petalite and spodumene processing plants at the mine, valued at US$ 300 million at the time while urging the mine to uphold high ethical standards for the benefit of communities.
“I implore Bikita Minerals to undertake their operations with the highest ethical standards, professionalism, honesty, and integrity and we seek to realize sustainable prosperity that benefits all Zimbabweans,” said Mnangagwa at the time.
