Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart has sounded the alarm on illegal riverbed mining, which he says is pushing the city to the brink of a catastrophic water crisis.
“We need Environmental Management Agency (EMA), the police, and if need be, the army to stop this ruin of our nation and the utter devastation of Bulawayo catchment areas,” Coltart emphasized.
During a visit to the Umzingwane catchment area, Coltart witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of gold panning, which has caused water levels in the city’s supply dams to plummet to 28%. Despite the government’s supposed ban on gold mining in river systems, Coltart saw no evidence of enforcement.
“Government has spoken about banning gold mining in all river systems, but there is no sign on the ground that this policy is being implemented,” he noted.
The situation is dire, with Coltart warning that Bulawayo will soon run dry if urgent action is not taken.
“It is a very grave crisis that we face, and if we do not get water in our river systems, then the city faces the prospect of running out of raw water, which is a catastrophic prospect for a city of over 800,000 people.”
Insiza and Mtshabezi dams hold most of the water that could service the city, but insufficient pipelines hinder access. The upcoming rainy season brings little hope, as Coltart explained,
“The reality is that our river systems have been so badly devastated by water panels that unless we have rain in excess of the average and above normal season, literally floods and cyclones, in many of our river systems, the water is not going to get to our dams.”
Umzingwane Dam was decommissioned in November last year at 2.14%, and Upper Ncema followed suit earlier this month at 2.03%.
Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution secretary Paul Nyoni has pledged to engage with his Matabeleland South counterparts to address the crisis.
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