Residents of Pumula in Bulawayo have complained about Zada Quarry Mine, saying the company has failed to meaningfully support the community despite operating in the area for the past four years.
Chairperson of the Pumula South Ward Development Committee, Trust Mkwananzi, said Zada Quarry Mine has done little for the community since it began operations.
“Zada has been here for four years, but we have not seen any real help from them. The only thing they did was to give Christmas hampers to children and all those hampers together were worth about US$200. That is too little for a company that has been working here for so long,” Mkwanazi said.
Mkwananzi also said the company does not communicate with residents.
“When we try to call them, they do not answer. They do not come to our meetings, and they do not listen to our problems. It feels like they do not care about the people living here,” said the chairperson.
Pumula suburb hosts ZADA Mine and Haulin Mine, which extract quarry from the area.
Vice chairperson of the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) for Ward 17, Nontando Ndiweni, said there is a stark difference between Zada and another quarry operator, Hualin, with the latter doing more.
“Hualin is trying to work with the community and help people, but Zada is not doing that. As residents, we want companies that support us and work together with us, not a company that ignores our concerns and queries all the time,” said Ndiweni.
These complaints were raised on Thursday at a meeting held at Pumula North Hall in Bulawayo.
Officials from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) were engaging residents as part of the process of renewing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate for Hualin Quarry Mine.
This then meeting provided residents with an opportunity to share their views and concerns.
Residents praised Hualin Quarry Mine for supporting the community, particularly young people.
Promise Sibanda, a youth in Pumula, said Hualin has helped many youths by providing jobs.
“Hualin Quarry Mine has helped us a lot. 37 young people from this area have been given jobs. This has changed our lives because many of us were not working before. Now we can earn money and help our families,” said Sibanda.
Ward 17 Councillor, Sikhululekile Moyo, said there is also a need for better guidance from EMA on how communities can engage with companies.
“We need EMA to teach us the right steps to follow when companies want to help the community. There was a time when Hualin wanted to put street lights because there was a lot of crime, but we did not know what to do,” she said.
“We did not know if the councillor should go to the mine or if residents should go themselves. Because of that confusion, the project was delayed.”