Illegal miners invade Mapatizya

By BUSINESS REPORTER SMALL scale Miners in Mapatizya area in Zimba district have complained of increased illegal mining in the area.

$ssociation of =aPbian :oPen 0ininJ $=:,0 0ar\ /XbePba said there was an XSsXrJe in the nXPber of iOOeJaO Piners flockinJ to the area.

0s /XbePba said in an interYiew with the 'aiO\ 1ation that there were soPe XnscrXSXOoXs SeoSOe in /Xsaka who were fa- ciOitatinJ iOOeJaO PininJ in 0aSati]\a in 6oXthern SroYince.

0s /XbePba said the iOOeJaO Piners were PostO\ coPinJ froP 0kXshi and /Xsaka flockinJ to 0aSati]\a to Pine $Peth\st.

7he association has since aSSeaOed to the *oYernPent to steS XS secXrit\ in the area.

³:e are coPSOaininJ to the JoYernPent that there are a Oot of iOOeJaO Piners PininJ the $Peth\st stones and seOOinJ to the &hinese. 7hese &hinese MXst enter the PininJ area throXJh an aJent in /Xsaka. 7he aJent is not eYen reJistered,” she said.

6he condePned the act of iOOeJaO PininJ in the area becaXse it was kiOOinJ bXsiness condXcted b\ Oicensed Piners.

³:e are caOOinJ XSon JoYernPent and the Pinistr\ of Pines to coPe in and heOS Xs becaXse those one who are benefitinJ are those withoXt Oicences.

³8s with Oicenses haYe to Sa\ for area charJes, =aPbia 5eYenXe $Xthorit\ =5$ and other charJes whiOe those SeoSOe MXst Pine withoXt Sa\inJ an\thinJ, steaOinJ oXr Pone\,” 6he said.

6he said association PePbers feOt disadYantaJed becaXse their cost of doinJ bXsiness was hiJh whiOe iOOeJaO Piners were reaSinJ hXJe Srofits withoXt PakinJ statXtor\ Sa\Pents to *oYernPent winJs.

³1ot eYen the SoOice can heOS Xs. O caOOed the SoOice the\ MXst said the\ needed to Jet JXidance froP the 0inistr\ of 0ines. :here are JoinJ to rXn to for heOS ” 0s /XbePba said.