Small-scale miners urge government to ban foreigners from participating in small scale mining
By Business Reporter – Monday 24 February 2020
LOCAL NEWS – HARARE (Mining Index) – SMALL-SCALE Zimbabwean miners have called upon government to prohibit participation of foreign nationals in small scale mining, urging government to enact laws that only allow foreign investments in mining for larger mining projects in order for their investment to be meaningful.
Local miners say government must only consider foreign investors to capitalise the Zimbabwean mining sector and compete with big mining companies as opposed to jostling for small claims with emerging local miners.
Foreign nations, especially the Chinese, have been reportedly hoarding claims, posing a threat to local miners from getting a fair share from their local resources.
“The real issues affecting miners today is the pricing model of our minerals and the participation of foreigners in small and medium scale mining. We should push for USD pricing model and also push for government to stop authorising foreign nationals to participate in small and medium scale mining,”
“Their participation should be at the same level with big mining houses. Our resources are being looted and we are competing for small mining claims with foreigners. That policy is wrong,”
“The Chinese SMEs should be removed from mining. Only big corporate entities should be allowed because they have a fair remuneration to employees and pay taxes well,” said Changamire Munashe Zana, a gold miner who is also a social economic and cultural commentator.
Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) president Henrietta Rushwaya responded saying the issue is expected to be addressed in the much awaited Minerals Development Policy which government, through the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is concluding.
“This will be addressed in the new Minerals Development Policy which the Ministry of Mines is finalising,” said Rushwaya. ENDS// www.miningindex.co.zw
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