BULAWAYO mayor David Coltart has called on the police to intensify patrols and help to end illegal mining activities along rivers that feed into city’s supply dams.
Coltart told Southern Eye yesterday that Bulawayo City Council had deployed municipal police which had its own limitations.
He said illegal mining was causing siltation of rivers which reduces their capacity to feed into the supply dams.
“We need concerted effort by the police and possibly even the army to end illegal gold panning in our river systems,” Coltart said.
“As the rainy season is coming, I’m afraid, since the illegal miners have dug trenches, the first rains are unlikely to reach the Mzingwane catchment area. They will first have to fill up those trenches, hence we are facing difficult times as the people of Bulawayo.”
Coltart said water supply in Bulawayo would worsen if the situation remained the same, given that little rainfall was received in the last rainy season.
“The issue of illegal gold panning around river systems is a serious threat. If we receive low rainfall like last season, it is likely that our catchment areas are likely not going to receive any rain as it will be lost in those trenches dug by miners,” he said.
Coltart said the illegal mining activities around the Bulawayo river systems should be taken seriously as the rivers were responsible for supplying water to citizens.
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“Now we are facing a challenge as we received low rain last season. We should now begin to prepare for the rainy season so that when it comes, we will be able to capture the rains.
“So if we are able to end illegal mining, we are likely to save our rivers from running dry, hence improving the water situation which we have been facing,” he said.
