Gold panners in Manicaland province are being preyed upon by corrupt officials. The illegal miners are forced to bribe the officials to avoid arrest.
Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) official Tracy Mutowekuziva told the media in Mutare recently that corruption in the sector can be curbed by formalising artisanal mining. She said:
Unregistered artisanal gold miners in Penhalonga are easy prey for corrupt government officials and guards who are demanding money from them to allow them to continue with their activities.
We are therefore pushing for the formalisation of this key segment in the mining industry and also assisting some of them to apply for claims and formalise their activities but even that too is difficult.
Formalising their operations will not only help curb corruption but also help preserve the environment so we hope the government will try to make the processes much easier for everyone.