Illegal Mining Activities Cause Havoc on Zimbabwe’s Roads

Editorial Comment By Ilyana Sithole

The scourge of illegal mining activities has once again reared its head, this time causing serious damage to the country’s road infrastructure. The latest casualty to this menace is the Shurugwi-Zvishavane Road, the Boterekwa area, where illegal mining activities have compromised the integrity of the road. A video that has gone viral on social media shows unsettling signs that the road may soon cave in, something that urgently needs attention.

These illegal activities have caused damage that has disrupted the flow of traffic and poses a serious threat to road users. The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has responded to the situation, and according to an update on their X handle, repair works commence today, 5 December, to restore the road to a safe and trafficable state. It has also called upon the public to be wary of illegal mining activities and report the same to authorities, with a statement like: “Let’s work together to preserve our roads and prevent accidents!”

Mineral-rich Boterekwa has been conducive to illegal mining, especially in the area. The root causes of this are multifold. Economic instability in Zimbabwe, manifesting as unemployment and poverty, has made many individuals engage in illegal mining as a means of survival. Such activities induce environmental degradation, lead to the compromising of safety and integrity of surrounding structure-roads among others.

All these have been further worsened by the decline of the formal mining sector, which brought a lack of job opportunities and hence forced people to join these informal and illegal mining activities. While the government works on formalization of the mining sector and the curbing of illegal activities, much more needs to be done if root causes related to illegal mining are to be addressed besides alternative livelihood for those in it. Added to these are issues of corruption and weak governance, which have created an environment conducive to such practices.

Moreso, illegal mining has consequences beyond that of infrastructure being wrecked. Some of the serious concerns associated with these activities are environmental degradation in terms of deforestation, water pollution, and erosion of soil. Furthermore, this means the government loses quite a lot in revenue on account of not paying taxes or royalties from such mining.

Additionally, there are health hazards which form a significant threat to lives, and among them include possible exposure to toxic materials in artisanal and small-scale mining and hazardous working conditions. It has also caused social displacement of communities, increased crime rates, and various human rights abuses at an unprecedented scale in illegal mining areas.

Against the spiral of this crisis, the government of Zimbabwe has taken several initiatives to curb illegal mining activities in the country. The process of reforms in policies, such as the Mines and Minerals Act (2018) and the National Mining Policy (2019), had been initiated to formalize the artisanal and small-scale mining processes. The Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation and Environmental Management Agency have enhanced regulatory measures, monitoring, and regulating mining activities.

In addition, the government has reinforced increased deployment of security forces to help curtail illegal mining in the affected areas, coupled with different community engagement initiatives where various organizations cooperate with local communities to undertake proper mining and provide alternative means of livelihood.

The country is trying to rebuild its infrastructure, and this illegal mining activity needs to be confronted head-on. It is time for us to come together and protect our roads, our environment, and our communities.

The expected completion of repair works on the Shurugwi-Zvishavane Road should bring relief to commuters and commercial operators. That is not all, however. We must remain eternally vigilant and address those issues that create an environment that sustains such destructive activities. Together, we can secure our roads and prevent further accidents.