By Netho Francisco

THE indigenisation policy is bearing fruit in Shamva as the empowerment of small-scale miners has resulted in the small township fast turning into a vibrant town.
Contrary to claims from some sections of the media, who are sympathetic to the regime change agenda and critical of the empowerment policy, the miners are spearheading economic development.
The miners have played a pivotal role in reducing the unemployment rate in Shamva and nearby communities such as Murehwa with the sector employing more than 5 000 people.
Shamva South legislator, Joseph Mapiki said mining activities in his constituency have transformed lives for the better.
He said indigenous miners had led to the development of modern infrastructure in the community.
“Mining activities have become a major source of employment and improved living conditions,” said Mapiki.
Shamva that was characterised by dilapidated houses is experiencing construction of modern houses.
“The most notable input of local miners is infrastructural development in our constituency a situation that demonstrates that Shamva is growing from being a small township into an urban centre,” Mapiki said.
“We have seen the emergence of new suburbs in the area with council authorities issuing at least 3 000 stands to meet the growing demand of houses.”
Gold dealings have also increased the circulation of money and disposable income for many people in the mining town.
Mapiki said due to increased availability of money in the constituency, retail business has increased significantly.
“Mining activities proceeds have stretched to boost other sectors of the economy in areas such as retail which has also led to the creation of more jobs for the community,” he said.
“The council has also issued more than 100 commercial stands for the construction of multi- purpose shopping complexes that is currently under way.”
Mapiki said there was need for Government to consider funding miners to acquire mills to process gold ore.
He said acquisition of mills will help in value addition efforts aimed at increasing revenue from the country’s minerals.
“Local miners are failing to realise optimum value as more than 70 percent value is being lost to millers during the processing stage,” he said.
“Government should put measures such as free duty on mills and other processing equipment.”
A lot of concern has been raised over the current gold ore processing where miners are complaining that a larger value of the total output is being left at the mills.
In many situations miners do not have the capacity to transport or pay their milling charges, hence, millers provide all the processing services for a higher price.
In most instances they take payment in the form of a percentage of the processed gold.
However, miners complained that there are certain substances that are put in milling machines to hold gold which is later collected by the millers.
Miners also claimed that millers stop the processing cycle before the ore is fully processed and later recycle the dump to extract more gold.
Mapiki said the constituency had already established a value addition centre for gold and other commodities in the community.
“We have started establishing a value addition centre that will house processors of different commodities to help the community grow its production levels,” he said.
“There are many business opportunities that can be realised through value addition that include creation of more jobs for the community.”
However, Mapiki expressed concern over lack of transparency in the allocation of mining claims by officials from the Mines and Mining Development Ministry.
For instance, he said more than one person was being allocated a single claim.
“There is need to ensure sanity and avoid conflicts in the allocation of claims by mining commissioners,” he said.
In a related development, Mapiki has embarked on a campaign to educate miners to make use of water that was being drained from the mining shafts to irrigate crops.
“We are now encouraging miners to establish gardens near their mines to establish agricultural projects using unwanted water from the shafts to irrigate their plants,” he said.
“This will help to produce food for the community and earn miners extra cash through the sale of produce.”
Mike Moses, one of the miners who has established a garden near the mine, said the project has reduced his operation costs by providing food for the workers.
“Creation of gardens has helped to save the environment as water that was drained from shafts was being dumped onto roads now we are using it to irrigate crops and forest plantations that are established on defunct shafts,” he said.