Bulawayo councillors have given the city’s Mayor and Town Clerk a 30-day ultimatum to seek presidential intervention over what they describe as rampant illegal mining at the city’s supply dams in Matabeleland South, warning that the activities pose an existential threat to the city.
The demand was made during a Full Council meeting on Wednesday, where councillors said the local authority lacks the resources and enforcement capacity to curb invasions of dam catchment areas that are being heavily degraded by illegal miners.
Ward 22 councillor Mmeli Moyo urged Mayor David Coltart and Town Clerk Christopher Dube to engage President Emmerson Mnangagwa directly and invoke his authority to halt the operations.
“Your Worship, there is no one from Bulawayo who can sponsor illegal mining in that area. This simply means those mining there are not even from this city, yet they are benefiting from that particular area,” said Cllr Moyo.
He warned that continued degradation of catchment areas would worsen Bulawayo’s chronic water shortages and undermine the city’s ability to function.
“Those involved must understand that they are destroying our economy. We cannot run a city without water, because water generates much of the revenue needed to operate the city. This is not only a threat to the lives and health of residents, but also a threat to the very existence of the city as an institution,” he said.
“My strong view is that within the next 30 days, Mayor and Town Clerk, your focus must be on engaging the President. If we continue to beat around the bush, nothing will be done.”
In 2024, the government announced a ban on all mining activities along riverbanks and in other sensitive ecological zones, citing environmental and public safety concerns. However, councillors said mining companies and individuals continue to operate openly within Bulawayo’s catchment areas, in defiance of the law.
Ward 2 councillor Rendani Moyo questioned who owns the heavy yellow machinery reportedly being used at the sites and who is responsible for enforcing compliance.
“If these mining companies are operating there, then who is responsible for ensuring compliance with the law? Shouldn’t the city’s police be empowered to enforce it?” he asked.
“This situation requires urgent action. Once we tamper with the city’s raw water supplies, the entire city faces serious consequences. There are countless risks involved.”
He added that the crisis should be viewed beyond short-term politics.
“We need to step up, Your Worship. We must intensify our efforts because this is not just about us; it is a generational issue. We also need to ask whether this is only happening in our province. Are other regions facing the same crisis? What is happening in those areas?”
Bulawayo has for years struggled with acute water shortages, with residents enduring prolonged water-shedding and periodic supply cuts. Environmental experts have repeatedly warned that mining in catchment areas increases siltation, reduces dam capacity and permanently damages ecosystems, further threatening the city’s already fragile water security.
The Mayor and Town Clerk did not immediately indicate whether they would meet the 30-day deadline, but the issue is expected to dominate forthcoming council deliberations.