Mining companies across the country urged to fix roads
...some of the worst roads in the country are those used by mining companies.
Mining companies in Zimbabwe have been urged by lawmakers to contribute efficiently to road rehabilitation across the country, particularly in areas where they operate.
Member of Parliament for Chegutu West, Dexter Nduna, said some of the worst roads in the country are those used by mining companies to ferry minerals from their mines, yet the companies do nothing or little to fix them.
As a result, Nduna urged the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Felix Mhona, to develop policies that will compel mining firms to repair roads.
“There has not been advancement, through the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, a clear policy so far relating to the rehabilitation, reconstruction, maintenance and rejuvenation of our national roads, in particular those that cut off from the trunk roads into the mining areas,” he said in Parliament.
“We are aware that there are a plethora of mines dotted around the country who are not giving back or reconstructing the roads from where they are extracting a ubiquitous amount of mineral wealth. I will give an example of Kwekwe-Nkayi where there is Queens Mine, Tech Mine and a number of mines on that road, but they are not giving back to the community according to Section 13 (4) of the Constitution in so far as rehabilitation of our road infrastructure is concerned.”
Nduna said the Minister of Transport should enact policies that compel mining companies to follow Section 13 of the Constitution, which addresses the development of local areas by companies that profit from them.
“These mining companies go in, they plunder, they make our road dilapidated, deplorable and disused without mending them. There is the 52km Chegutu-Mubaira Road. It is also in the same state but there are a number of mines dotted around that area,” he said.
“I therefore, call upon the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to come and give a policy position in so far as it relates to the issue of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) where there is no Government capital outlay but where there is robust, resilient, effective and efficient rehabilitation of our road infrastructure so that our people out there can enjoy the fruits of Section 13 (4) that speaks of the resources that are extracted in those areas should be made to actually improve not only the roads but the areas in those communities.”
