BULAWAYO councillor Monica Lubimbi, her partner Sikhanyisiwe Nyathi and Belmac Investments (Pvt) Ltd are seeking permission from the local authority to collect mine dump sands from Paddock 40 Farm at Aiselby.
The farm is reportedly under siege from illegal gold diggers and sand poachers.
According to latest council minutes, the local authority has received an application from Lubimbi and Nyathi seeking authority to collect mine dump from Aisleby Farm for further processing.
The letter read: “We wish to submit our application for the above subject matter. Authority is hereby sought to remove mining dump sands from the western side of the windmill compound of Aisleby Farm.
“We commit ourselves to comply with all laws that govern the removal, transportation and processing of mine dump in terms of Ema [Environmental Management Authority], Mines and Minerals Act and Bulawayo City Council by-laws.”
In terms of the council’s mining policy of April 2, 1997, “treatment of mining dump should only be permitted if such treatment will be carried out outside greater Bulawayo”.
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Council agreed to give a consent letter to the applicants to enable them to apply for a special grant from the Mines ministry to collect mine dump.
“For the applicant to operate in this uncalled for environment, he or she has to abide by council by-laws and regulations which stipulate that one has to commit him or herself that the ore removed will be returned to its natural position and monitoring and continuous assessment will be conducted by the rangers from time to time for compliance,” the minutes read.
However, the minutes further state that collection of mine dump is regarded as a mining activity.
“For purposes of mine dump removal, a monthly levy of US$150 subject to review at the pleasure of council and an annual recognition fee of US$500 be charged,” the minutes read.
The minutes also revealed that an application had been received from Belmac Investments seeking a consent letter to apply to the Mines ministry to pick up mine dump from the council farm.
“We hereby apply for the exploitation of the old mine dump at the same farm as indicated on the diagram and coordinates. The exploitation of the dump will not take a long time and will not disturb farming operations. It is expected to take a month at most depending on the transport to carry it to the mining site.”
The minutes state that the applicants had further indicated that the collected dump would be processed at Atlas Mine in Esigodini.