Uzumba carves new future out of granite
THE Mutoko Rural District Council reportedly earned a paltry US$3 500 from the sale of granite used in the construction of the Royal Library in Copenhagen, Denmark.
However, the Italian contractor who processed and installed the black granite at the library earned in excess of US$9,1 million for the architectural landmark.
This shows the extent of the prejudice Zimbabwe has been suffering through exporting unprocessed minerals and resources.
It also underscores the potential that could be realised through value addition and beneficiation of mineral resources, which are now being increasingly prioritised by Government.
As a result, efforts have been made to process granite in situ in Mutoko, where one of the mining companies — Yang Sheng Mining — recently established a cutting and polishing plant.
However, it is believed more still needs to be done to increase the country’s capacity to convert raw materials into finished and semi-finished products to boost earnings, create jobs and drive development.
In Uzumba, newly elected Member of Parliament Cde Wiriranai Muchemwa is working hand-in-glove with stakeholders to push for industrialisation, job creation and development.
On October 16, 2023, he invited representatives of seven granite mining companies operating in Uzumba for a meeting with the local political and traditional leadership.
The objective was to carve out ways through which mining companies and the local leadership could work together for the development of the constituency, which, despite being richly endowed with abundant mineral resources, has been lagging behind in development.
“We need to work together and find ways through which development can be centrally coordinated in the constituency to avoid conflict of interest,” he said.
He also applauded granite miners such as Inducon Investments Pvt Ltd and Yang Sheng Mining for development projects that include construction of school classroom blocks, teachers’ houses and clinics.
It is, however, widely felt that these initiatives need to be coordinated.
“We have to ensure we organise, arrange and execute constituency development projects together with the mining companies so that nothing is done individually and spontaneously,” he added.
“This will benefit the whole constituency . . .
Uzumba constituency as a whole should reap rewards from the granite being mined here.”
Firms that are presently mining granite in the area include Inducon Investments Pvt Ltd, Shanghai Haoyun Mining Company, Black Cube Pvt Ltd, Yang Sheng Mining, M1 Mining Company, M2 Mining Company and Natural Stones Mining Company.
Officials of Inducon Investments Pvt Ltd and Yang Sheng Mining were present at the October 16 meeting.
“We are happy that we sat down with the companies that are forthcoming — Inducon and Yang Sheng — and that we have laid the foundation for a common way forward,” Uzumba constituency development coordinator Mr Tinashe Choto said.
“As for the other companies, we will be approaching them individually.
“One way or the other, we are going to resolve the issues that have contributed to the low contribution to development by companies that are making huge profits from the resources of Uzumba.”
Companies, Mr Choto said, need to review their employment policies and consider recruiting locals.
Last month’s meeting was the culmination of a series of engagements with the political and traditional leadership in Uzumba constituency, as well as Zvataida Rural District Council.
It is generally agreed that there is a low development dividend from economic activities in the area.
In his meeting with miners, Mr Muchemwa indicated that it was unacceptable for mining companies to throw crumbs to the community when they are reaping huge rewards from mineral resources in the area.
Responding to some of the concerns raised in the meeting, Inducon Investments Pvt Ltd representative Ms Trish Maunganidze said the company had an open-door policy and was ready to work with the local leadership to develop Uzumba.
“As Inducon, we do not have problems working with the local leadership in discussing and executing development issues,” she said.
“In terms of our employment policy, we do prioritise locals. However, where we need specialised skills, we rope in people who have the credentials and skill from elsewhere because we have to meet the company’s objectives.”
Yang Sheng Mining assistant general manager Mr Ignatius Chamboko said the company was willing to work with the local leadership to ensure win-win outcomes.