The government has vowed to take “decisive action” against illegal and unregulated mining in key water catchment areas in Matabeleland South, amid rising concern over environmental damage and water contamination affecting thousands of residents.
Addressing a press briefing at the Bulawayo City Council chambers, the Minister of Local Government and Public Works Daniel Garwe said authorities would move to enforce existing laws against mining activities threatening rivers and dams that supply Bulawayo and surrounding districts.
He said operations in areas including Umzingwane and Insiza had reportedly led to pollution of water sources feeding into major supply dams.
“I want the law enforcement agencies to take action yesterday,” he said. “We have a statutory instrument (S.I 188/24) in place which regulates riverbed mining and environmental protection. We expect it to be applied forthwith.”
Garwe said government had received reports that harmful chemicals, including cyanide used in gold processing, were being discharged into rivers and streams, posing risks to both human health and livestock.
He warned that the scale of the threat extended beyond mining areas, affecting wider urban and rural populations dependent on dam water.
“Bulawayo alone has about 800,000 residents who rely on dam water, while an estimated 200,000 more people in surrounding rural districts are also affected,” he said. “We are looking at close to a million people whose livelihoods are under threat.”
The minister said illegal and poorly regulated mining activities involved a range of operators, including small-scale miners, local firms and foreign investors, and pointed to weak enforcement as a key driver of the problem.
“The only way to protect the dams is to stop these mining activities,” he said.
In response, the government has announced plans for a coordinated inter-ministerial intervention involving the Ministries of Home Affairs, Environment, Mines, and Agriculture, Water and Irrigation.
“We will prioritise a crackdown on illegal mining, strict enforcement of environmental regulations and the protection of water sources that are critical to the region’s survival,” Garwe said.
He added that traditional leaders had also raised concerns about the destruction of sacred sites linked to rivers and mining zones, saying these issues would be included in government investigations.
“All these issues will be thoroughly looked into,” he said. “It is our responsibility as government to protect water sources, enforce environmental regulations and ensure communities have access to safe and clean water.”