Harare: Zimbabwe’s mines ministry permanent secretary Francis Gudyanga and the newly-appointed Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) chief executive Morris Mpofu visited Marange last week to assess the situation following reports of a surge in illegal mining activities, according to media reports.
The Zimbabwe Independent reports that ZCDC security had no capacity to stop the illegal miners or was collaborating with them to share the earnings.
“There is a return to illegal mining because every day more and more people are finding their way into the diamond fields,” an unnamed source was quoted as saying.
“The government security system is also collaborating with illegal miners who are asked between US$200-800 so that they mine for a certain number of hours and share the proceeds.”
Centre for Natural Resource Governance director Farai Maguwu was also quoted as saying that said up to 1 000 illegal miners enter the diamonds fields daily.
“What happened is that when government stopped the seven companies from mining and introduced ZCDC, the company had no capacity whatsoever to mine. For the first few months they were processing residual ore from Mbada Diamonds,” he said.
Meanwhile, Marange Development Trust leader Malvern Mudiwa said the final straw was when Mbada Diamonds’ equipment was auctioned and their security had nothing more to do thereafter, creating a free-for-all situation.
ZCDC was formed last year after government refused to renew mining licences of companies that were operating in Chiadzwa.
However, Mbada Diamonds, Anjin and Jinan challenged the move while Marange Resources, Diamond Mining Company, Gye Nyame, Kusena and Rera Diamonds obliged.
