07 Mar 2024

Appropriate action is being taken against the holder of mining rights for mining sand beyond the lease boundaries, as guided by the Mines and Minerals Act. 

Minister of Minerals and Energy, Mr Lefoko Moagi explained to Parliament that the action came after the Department of Mines undertook an inspection visit of the area that Matobo community was complaining about to establish the root cause of the public outcry.

“My ministry has been in consultation with the office of the district commissioner in Tutume on the issue,” he said.

Mr Moagi further explained that the community members were indicating that they were not consulted on the issuance of the mining rights for river sand and that they also suspected that the holder of the rights was mining beyond what he was permitted to mine.

During the visit he said it was established that the holder of the mining rights had actually mined beyond the lease boundaries.

Further, he explained that his ministry, through the Department of Mines, engaged with the office of the district commissioner to acquaint itself with the complaints, resulting in a meeting being held on the matter between the department, office of the district commissioner and Tutume District Council leadership on September 22, 2023.

The meeting, he said, was later followed by another meeting on October 17, 2023 with the Matobo community to get the views of those who did not attend the previous meeting.

“My ministry always makes every effort to dialogue with those affected by mining as was done in the case of Matobo. 

What needs to be further established is that before the Department of Mines issues a mining license, there are other departments such as environmental affairs for Environmental Impact Assessment, museums and national monuments for archaeological effects and land boards for land rights, which must give consent to that area being allocated for mining,” he said.

The MP for Nkange, Dr Never Tshabang had asked the Minister of Minerals and Energy if he was aware of an outcry of Matobo community concerning illegal sand mining along the Tutume River and further asked if any investigations of what caused the outcry had been done.

He also wanted to know if Mr Moagi had any intension to dialogue with the aggrieved community. Ends