Traditional leaders from Enaleni in Bubi Ward 1 have pledged to establish a Community Advisory Committee to bridge the gap between miners and villagers. This commitment follows a successful training session for traditional leaders conducted by Habakkuk Trust in conjunction with the Office of the District Development Coordinator and Bubi Rural District Council last month.
The proposed Committee is expected to address the concerns of the local community on land degradation, open mine pits, and the lack of perceived benefits from gold mining. During a Community Advocacy Action Team meeting, traditional leaders pledged to establish the committee to address gaps within the mining sector. The committee, established under the Mines and Minerals Act, will help bridge the gap between the local community and mining entities
Village Head Tatagwinya Moyo, while providing feedback on the training, expressed his commitment to establishing the committee, stating, “We believe the Community Advisory Committee will help address challenges we face with miners.”
A Community Advisory Committee acts as an intermediary between a mining entity and the community. The committee becomes the first point of contact for miners wishing to prospect for gold. Setting up the committee is envisaged to safeguard community interests particularly protecting homesteads and fields from unauthorised mining activity.
Senior Village Head Ruben Ndlovu supported Village Head Tatagwinya’s sentiment, emphasizing the importance of the committee. “The Community Advisory Committee will complete our mandate as custodians of natural resources’’.
Villagers who attended the meeting expressed hope that the Community Advisory Committee would address the issue of community benefit from gold mining in the ward. In 2017, the Habakkuk Trust Community Advocacy Action Team successfully advocated for the construction of a classroom block at Enaleni Primary School. The classroom block was built through contributions from local miners.
Habakkuk Trust Executive Director emphasized on the importance of traditional justice system natural resource governance. ‘‘As custodians of culture and natural resources, traditional leaders wield authority to try cases involving illegal exploitation of natural resources’’, said Siphatho Ncube. Bubi District is rich in gold and limestone deposits, with notable mines including Turk Mine and other Chinese investments.
by: Dumisani Ncube
