The Sunday Mail
An hour’s drive on the bumpy and semi-tarred road, in a westerly direction from Kwekwe, takes you to Crossroads Business Centre in Silobela, where the villagers’ lives are indeed at a crossroads, literally.It is a dog-eat-dog affair among illegal gold panners here. Mining disputes are the order of the day and recently, a man was murdered near the business centre after a disagreement over ownership of gold claims. Last week, hundreds of illegal gold panners reportedly besieged Dandrum Gold Mine where 63kgs of the mineral, worth $2,6 million, was reported to have been mined in three days. It is total chaos at Zibomvu, some 10km before the hyper-active Crossroads Business Centre, the setting of the latest gold rush in the mineral-rich Silobela, some 80 km from Kwekwe.
A number of cars are parked on the edge of the road, close to roadside villages in a scene reminiscent of a well-to-do funeral wake.
On closer inspection, it is discovered that these are actually gold buyers waiting for “supplies” from the panners who emerge from the forests clad in tattered and muddied work suits. Almost everyone is carrying digging tools and there are also a number of women selling an array of wares ranging from shoes to denim jeans. It is a Sunday and upon further investigations, it is discovered that on this day, buyers flood the area and the temporary flea markets emerge.
“That is how we survive here, we have lots of gold deposits in the area and the latest to be discovered is here at Zibomvu.
“It is a dog-eat-dog affair though, because sometimes fights erupt over ownership of claims of spots,” says an illegal gold panner who refuses to be named.
The panners fight and some are badly injured in “gold wars” that erupt in an area where exposed gold deposits are sometimes found in village yards.
Illegal gold panners and buyers from as far as Kadoma, Gwanda, Gweru, Shurugwi and Filabusi have flooded the area and authorities fear the situation could degenerate if Government does not intervene.
“The situation has become bad here. Sometimes we feel it’s a curse to have these vast gold deposits here because they bring unrest among the villagers.
“Some of these illegal panners are trapped in the pits, the other day you hear scores have been arrested for fighting. Sometimes it gets fatal,” said Vimbani Nkomo, a young lady from Ntobe village.
Silobela’s Member of Parliament, Honourable Mthokozosi Manoki Mpofu, confirmed that a man was fatally assaulted over gold-related disputes near Crossroads Business Centre.
“The situation is pathetic, especially at Zibomvu where people from outside my constituency are looting gold. Some of the gold is discovered in village fields and villagers claim ownership, leading to confrontation with these intruders.
“Only three or so weeks ago, a man believed to be from Shangani was allegedly murdered near Crossroads and police investigations are still underway,” said Hon Mpofu.
Efforts to get an official comment from the officer commanding Silobela district were fruitless. However, a policeman who preferred anonymity acknowledged that a number of cases were being dealt with by the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
Chief Malisa could not give a comprehensive comment as he was attending meetings at the district administrator’s office.
“Get in touch with me later, I am in a series of meetings,” he said when contacted for comment.
Just a few kilometres from Zibomvu, near BB village, lies Peace Mine — a community development mining trust that engages in organised mining — but, alas, the majority here prefer subsistence mining. They are at a crossroads, torn between the lure of organised mining and the freedom of artisanal mining, commonly referred to as chikorokoza.
“The chaos is open for everyone to see, you will soon know who is behind all this chaos. It’s the same people all over Midlands fuelling mining disputes. Mining should be done in a proper and organised manner and we are talking to the relevant authorities from both the Ministry of Mines and that of Home Affairs.
“These illegal miners can be grouped into small and regularised syndicates with well demarcated gold claims. As it is, only the powerful will benefit at the expense of the less connected,” said Hon Mpofu.
Silobela has an estimated population of just over 80 000 and the majority of the locals do not benefit from the millions of dollars circulating in the illegal sector.
