Maravi

(HERALD) 40 fired at Chiadzwa

40 fired at Chiadzwa
Herald Reporter

Canadile Miners, recently licensed by the Govern-ment to mine diamonds at Chiadzwa, has fired 40 workers for allegedly allowing panners to enter the fields and loot the precious stones.

Sources say illegal panners were paying workers in the company’s security department to access the diamond fields at night. Some of the intruders were recently caught panning and during interrogations revealed that they had connived with company personnel to get access.

"The security guards manning the company’s premises would let illegal panners into the diamond fields after being paid undisclosed amounts per head.

"On the day in question, the security guards let the illegal panners into the fields at night after receiving bribes.

"They (the panners) worked until daybreak and hid in some of the deep pits left open when illegal panning was rampant in the fields," said a source.

They intended to exit the fields at night and planned on staying in the pits all day.

"They ran out of luck when they were discovered by a worker who had been assigned to fill the pits after company authorities realised they posed a danger to earthmoving machines," the source said.

The panners were handed over to the police and implicated Canadile security guards.

The company subsequently fired those implicated.

Canadile Miners local representative Mr Lovemore Kurotwi confirmed the dismissals in an interview on Monday, but would not give details.

"There are some workers who were dismissed, but I am not aware of the numbers," he said.

Canadile Miners’ premises are heavily protected with double electric fencing and chances of illegal panners entering the fields by other means other than bribing security guards are minimal.

Canadile Miners and Mbada Mining (Pvt) Ltd were recently licensed by the Government to mine the Chiadzwa diamond fields.

There are indications that more investors might soon join those already on the ground.

Among them are a Chinese firm and a South African company called Community Energy.

Canadile Miners says it has so far invested over US$10 million into the operation.

The Government has been urged to revitalise the Mining Affairs Board to improve operations of the mining sector.

Presenting oral evidence before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy, former Mines Chamber president Mr David Murangari said reviving the board would bring transparency to the sector.

New Ziana quoted him as saying: "The Mining Affairs Board is a requirement of the law and it is critical for the proper functioning of the sector."

Mr Murangari noted that the board had not been fully operational for the past three to four years, a situation that had negatively impacted on the sector.

"The failure by the board to resume its duties will expose us as a country that we cannot manage our affairs as it ensures that there is transparency in the sector," he said.

Mr Murangari said revival of the board would address the issue of acquisition of exploration titles which some prospective miners had recently complained about.

The board would also deal with disputes on mining fields and those of titles and claims, he said.

He noted that the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development was performing the board’s duties, a situation he said was not good for the country as it exposed the minister to litigation from aggrieved parties.

Labels: CANADILE MINERS, CHIADZWA, DIAMONDS

posted by MrK @ 8:13 AM