By Staff Reporter
(News of The South) – Duration Gold owned Gaika Mine in Kwekwe can collapse at any time due to the weakening of pillars caused by illegal mining activities at the mine it has emerged.
Duration Gold acting country manager Allan Mashingaidze in a recent address to the members of the Joint Operations Command said the mine’s underground surface risked collapse as the surface has been weakened by illegal mining activities.
Until recently when the army moved in to kick out illegal miners who had massed into the property at the instigation of a powerful Zanu PF politician in the Midlands City who is a former Mbizo Legislator Vongainaishe Mupeperi two years ago.
The army had to move in mid this year to kick out the miners following months of bloodletting which claimed lives in Kwekwe.
“Currently there is a reclamation exercise of the mine. We have since installed a double wall fence security and conducting some other activities to reclaim the mine. However, there are some other places within the mine which are weak that the mine can face collapse at any time. Therefore, when one is moving within the mine there is need to exercise caution,” he said.
Meanwhile, government has said it is ready for Gaika takeover if Duration Gold management does not have a comprehensive plan to bring the mine from the woods which closed in early 2000s.
Mashingaidze said the decision to turn around the mine lies with the mine’s board which sits in China.
Duration Gold has committed to invest an initial $860 000 to the mine so that it will kick start operations.
“We really need to convince them (the board) as we have challenges when it comes to the money. In our initial plan we want to invest $860 000,” he said.
Mashingaidze said the company was however in a tight financial squeeze as it was having challenges in settling its financial obligations like paying workers salaries, “it is not as simple as it appears. It simple to say we have the wrong people in place, but they own this company and they own this asset and I am answerable to them.”
The explanation however, did not amuse Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Larry Mavhima.
“We own Zimbabwe so that at the end of the day when people are not doing what they are supposed to be doing we might be forced to revoke use it or lose it policy.
“If they are not convinced in the place to invest in Zimbabwe and if they doubt the asset, the economy…. they can sell the asset as government we can acquire the asset. We will have serious challenges of they cannot make a decision of $860 000,” he said.
Mavhima further added that management at Gaika Mine appears to be taking advantage of government’s benevolence in assisting the mine to kick out artisanal miners.
“We came here to assist the shareholders, the asset owners to assist in restoring property rights, to restore the rule of law but there seems people are taking us for granted they are taking their own time to implement things they consider to be very basic,” he said.
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