By Kudzaishe Chimonera
The Government has warned that illegal mining in residential areas will not be tolerated after authorities uncovered unauthorised mining operations in Harare suburbs, prompting arrests and a wider crackdown.
Speaking to journalists, Mines and Mining Development Minister Polite Kambamura said the Ministry had not issued any mining permits for residential areas and dismissed claims by some suspects that they were operating legally.
“The Ministry of Mines does not issue mining permits in residential areas. That’s not acceptable at all,” Kambamura said.
The Minister said the Government had received reports of individuals carrying out mining activities at their homes including drilling and blasting, practices he said were damaging the environment and posing serious safety risks to surrounding communities.
He called for closer cooperation between Government departments, local authorities, councillors and residents to identify and stop illegal mining activities.
“We would like to urge other government departments to work together with the Ministry of Mines to identify those culprits who are doing illegal mining in residential areas, our councillors in those areas, and other institutions to quickly alert the Ministry of Mines so that disciplinary measures can be taken,” he said.
Kambamura warned that those found breaking the law would face criminal prosecution.
“Those caught on the other side will be handed to the police, and we have laws in place that speaks to that,” he said.
The Minister said tackling illegal mining required a coordinated response involving the Ministries of Mines and Mining Development, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Environment, Climate and Wildlife, as well as Local Government and Public Works.
He revealed that investigations in Harare’s Marlborough suburb had exposed illegal mining operations at several residential properties, despite claims by those involved that they had been authorised by the Ministry.
“We’ve noticed that in Marlborough, there’s people who are actually mining illegally at their homesteads, and they were actually saying that they were given a permit by the Ministry, which we did not do, and we’ve moved onto the ground, and the culprits were arrested yesterday, eight of them,” Kambamura said.
He added that the suspects arrested were now assisting police with investigations by identifying other residential properties where similar illegal mining activities were allegedly taking place.
The Government has intensified efforts to curb illegal mining, saying the practice not only threatens public safety and infrastructure but also undermines environmental protection and lawful mining operations.
