Security raids affect Insiza gold production
REGULAR raids on the mining sector in Insiza district, Matabeleland South, by law enforcement agents are affecting gold production as operators either close shop or scale down operations, a survey has revealed.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe National Army have been raiding mining areas following a wave of violence and robberies perpetrated by artisanal miners and to also check on COVID-19 regulations compliance.
A report by Habakkuk Trust revealed that most mines were now deserted.
“We made a follow-up on reports of a clampdown on artisanal and small-scale miners from Insiza and our community advocacy team members stated that locals indicated gross human rights abuses in the manner in which offenders were arrested which includes alleged beatings at the hands of the police support unit and subjection to inhumane conditions in police cells,” the trust said.
“Stamp mill owners in the district bemoaned the arbitrary raids, resulting in the temporary closure of a significant number of mines. The clampdown has affected operations in mines, resulting in reduced gold output. The economy has not been spared from the exercise which began about a week ago. Gold mining forms the economic base and supports livelihoods in Insiza and surrounding districts,” the report added.
Mine owners said they were puzzled by the raids mostly conducted in the middle of the night when workers are already in bed.
“Our workers are woken up at 1am and arrested for not wearing protective gear. One wonders how they are expected to wear helmets while asleep,” a local mine manager, who preferred anonymity, lamented.
The raids conducted on Wednesday last week resulted in over 180 artisanal miners being arrested with some released upon payment of fines.
Villagers said they were caught in the dragnet for allegedly violating lockdown regulations mostly by not wearing face masks.
“It has been hell for us here, police and the soldiers were arbitrarily beating and arresting people at mines,” a villager, Sibongile Sibanda, said.
“The police and soldiers intensified the operation at every mine using a convoy of two trucks. Affected mines were made to pay (a fine) almost $1 000 or more depending on the number of people arrested.”
John Mkandla, a miner from village 10 Nkankezi in Filabusi, said some mines had about 50 workers arrested and fined at Filabusi Police Station.
Mkandla said he was made to pay $200 admission of guilty fine after he was arrested for not wearing a face mask.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele said miners in Insiza North district were not abiding by lockdown regulations, hence operations to clamp down on offenders were launched last week.
“Yes, I confirm there have been operations around the mining areas and there were 73 arrests with total fines of $14 600 made. We are going to continue monitoring the situation in all the mining areas in the province,” Ndebele said.
“We implore miners to do as they are instructed and follow regulations because their workers have time to go to their homes and end up infecting their families with the disease.”
Ndebele said workers were charged $200 fine for violating lockdown regulations, while the miners were made to pay $500 fine each.