Gold has no shine for abused Umzingwane women

Gold panning and the spin-offs that come with it, are the heart and lungs of Umzingwane District in Matabeleland South province. The precious metal brings money to many artisanal miners, popularly known as omakorokoza, who have flooded every nook and crevice of this dry and arid district.

This lucrative trade in gold is interlinked with many factors and rarely glitters for women.

Firstly, gold panning has violent gangs who often fight with machetes, axes, knives and all sorts of weapons for mine controls and trade issues.

The anger emanating from these fights often spills over to women in public spaces - trading food, water and wares.

Secondly, gold panning brings business for women vendors who sell various wares, clothes, food and beer to omakorokoza.

Thirdly, the constant demand from male gold artisanal miners for sex workers has intensified with increasing opening of mining sites dotted around the district.

Prostitution contributes to the increase of HIV/Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases in communities around gold mining sites.

The prevalence rate of HIV/Aids is quite high. Apart from these factors, gold panning activities have led to early child marriages, school dropouts, heavy drinking and excessive substance abuse.

All these factors have made the environment insecure for women who face all kinds of abuse in public spaces.

Even though gold mining activities are bringing profits to mine claim owners, gold dealers, gold panners and other key suppliers for the sector, women are getting trinkets, increasing their economic vulnerability.

Due to their economic status, women build resilience strategies around vending wares, water trading, catering and some illicit activities.

Some women who come from disadvantaged backgrounds are often involved in prostitution to survive.

Young girls are lured by promises of quick money as waitresses in bars, restaurants, shebeens and food vending stalls around Umzingwane district.

“There are young girls, some aged around 13 or 15, who are recruited mostly by madams who run canteens, bars and restaurants,” said a food vendor at Habane Extension in Esigodini.

“The girls are exploited. When they get clients, mainly omakorokoza, they give all the money to the madam bosses. Most of these girls are only given food, accommodation and very little money.

“They pay a heavy price - they get Aids and STIs. It’s so sad. At times they are abused by artisanal miners who refuse to pay them.”

Recently, UN Women and Katswe Sistahood, a local non-governmental organisation ran a public campaign in Umzingwane titled: “Creating safe and empowering public spaces for women and girls.”

Conversations that emerged from the campaign showed that heavy drinking and substance abuse by artisanal miners is exposing women in Umzingwane to regular physical and verbal violence in public spaces.

The women complained that most local men and artisanal miners were drinking significantly more alcohol than they had in past decades with damaging results.

Young girls and women here are at the mercy of sexual harassment by drunken omakorokoza.

Female vendors, informal traders, sex workers and young girls are being exposed to sexual abuse and violence as they ply their trade in public spaces.

“As vendors and informal traders we bear the brunt of sexual harassment in public spaces,” said Ms Thandolwenkosi Ndlovu of Mawabeni village.

“Omakorokoza can be a violent lot when they are drunk. They can refuse to pay for things we sell, they can vandalise our stalls and in worse situations they can urinate or mess up our vending sites if you turn them down when they are demanding sexual favours.”

Gold rarely glitters for them.

“Yes, they make money from the gold they get, but the gold doesn’t glitter or shine for us as women,” said Ms Sihle Nxumalo of Terrylln village in Umzingwane.

“We’re getting nothing. We only get change from the gold panning activities. We only harvest abuse from men who drink excessively and take drugs.

“Beer halls should be closed down. Our children are exposed to sex and beer drinking by these artisanal miners. They no longer see education and hard work as valuable.”

Ms Tafadzwa Makausi, an administrative officer at Umzingwane Rural District Council said the UN Women campaign was important as it was raising awareness and empowering women to understand their rights, where to report cases of abuse and how to join forces to fight gender based violence cases.

“This is a very important campaign in our district. GBV is a priority hazard in our district because of a huge influx of artisanal miners,” she said.

“We welcome our partners to our district. We need more support to raise awareness on GBV issues as well as to scale up women’s empowerment projects.”

Ms Debra Mwase, programme manager of Katswe Sisterhood, an implementing partner of the Spotlight Initiative said plans were underway to build a US$90 000 safe market to help end violence against women and girls in Esigodini.

She said the safe market would ensure that women and girls are safe and participate actively in the local economy.

“The safe market which will be constructed soon at Habane Extension here in Umzingwane will address issues of gender based violence in public spaces,” Ms Mwase said.

“This is part of the UN Women flagship programme on safe cities and safe public spaces.”