Friday, 04 November 2011 00:00
"I went to Lake Chivero the other day with my wife and I did not like what I saw. I also went to Middle Sabi to see the Ratings Project and from the plane I was travelling in, I could see the death of the Save River as a result of siltation."
This was a quote from a speech made by Finance Minister Tendai Biti in September this year during the commissioning of 375 000 pound draglines acquired from Britain for de-siltation of Save River and the controlling of water hyacinth at other water bodies.
This was after Zinwa made the conscious and deliberate decision to save Zimbabwe's dying rivers and water bodies. Siltation of rivers is becoming endemic in the country particularly in regions where there is acute illegal panning of minerals especially gold. Rivers has been reduced to rivulets. More often than not children born after Independence or tourists are shocked why the more than 600 metres long single span Birchenough Bridge was built over the river. Save's majesty is now a story of folklore and historians. It would amuse many that the Portuguese at one point considered making the river the shortest route to the Indian Ocean by ships.
Save like many other rivers in the country has been a victim of stream bank cultivation and more recently illegal diamond panners who invaded the Chiadzwa diamond fields. In their frenzy to exploit the new Eldorado very few or none were concerned about their activities choking the river with sand.
Mazowe River is threatened with extinction too. The river is exposed to heavy siltation and chemical infiltration from illegal gold mining activities along its banks.
Mashonaland Central has abundant deposits of alluvial gold easy to extract for the less experienced miners.
They only need a pick and shovel, mercury for concentrating and welding the fine gold particles together and lots of water to process the gold from gravel.
Clean water is used to clean the yellow metal and the residue is thrown into the river further increasing soil erosion into the river with already fragile banks.
The trade being mostly informal, the panners make their quick money from illegal metal traders and move on along the river banks. No soil reclamation or environmental rehabilitation ever takes place leaving the loose soils free to be eroded by strong winds or rains into the river, which is naturally the lower point. Glittering gold is an easy source of money to the poor communities compared to agricultural production. The people are not ready to wait for say four or six months labouring before harvesting. Gold panning is an instant market, get your ore today and trade on the spot.The choking of rivers and environmental degradation is not limited to Mazowe but has spread across the mineral rich provinces of Zimbabwe. This has extended to Midlands town of Kwekwe, Mashonaland West towns of Kadoma, Chegutu and Karoi.
Lake Chivero is a scenic and attractive water body less than 30km from Harare City Centre. This makes it one of the closest water tourist resort. The 3 200ha dam provides swimming, boating and fishing facilities or simply casual walks into the savanna woodlands surrounding the dam. However, this resort is slowly being choked by water hyacinth. This is a fast spreading weed that can cover the whole water surface within a short space of time. The weed, according to water experts thrives in water bodies that have high levels of raw effluent pollution. The weed can be controlled in two ways: mechanical through the use of draglines or chemically through spraying. However, use of chemicals affect other aquatic life hence the preference of mechanical weed control.
The acquisition of the draglines is not an end in itself but Zinwa's commitment to manage the country's water bodies as espoused in the Zinwa Act.
The authority is being proactive in saving dying rivers, however, at a pace permitted by our financial resources.
Of the two recently purchased draglines one shall be stationed at Middle Sabi irrigation scheme while the other one shall be used around the other six catchments areas. Minister Biti was convinced that the water authority was using resources from the treasury better than many Government departments and deserved more if resources become available.
"As long as you use the money properly like you are doing, we will continue giving you the money," said Minister Biti, pledging to release more money for the acquisition of more draglines.
* We welcome enquiries and suggestions. Please channel then to Zinwa PR Department, 12th Floor Old Mutual Centre Corner 3rd and Jason Moyo Avenue, Harare. Email: pr@zinwa.co.zw. Phone (04) 797604/5;797610-3
Zinwa remains concerned by the continued siltation of rivers by gold panners and other illegal miners further compromising the accessibility of water to downstream communities and increasing the changes of hazards such as droughts.
In achieving this mammoth task of equitably distributing water, Zinwa needs the assistance and co-operation of all its stakeholders including Government ministries and departments.
These among others include the Ministries of Mines and Mining Development, Environment and Wildlife Management and the Environmental Management Agency. The problem of mining is a huge potential problem for access to clean water. In South Africa, the City of Johannesburg is battling with acid water from mines surrounding the metropolitan.
The acid water from the mines is seeping into and contaminating fresh water sources thereby reducing availability of clean water to more than five million people in the city. However, Zimbabwe is lucky that there are no mines closer to the densely populated urban centres.
This, however, does not lessen the danger posed by illegal panners to the entire water systems in the country.
Zinwa, therefore, is calling for stiffer and deterrent penalties against illegal miners and other people whose activities are a danger to water sources.
In view of the impending summer season, Zinwa is making concerted efforts with other stakeholders to contain water sources contamination by illegal panners.
This exercise needs the support of all for every drop of water counts especially in the face of climate change being experienced the world over.
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