Members of Parliament have criticised the licensing of copper exportation when the country has not been producing the mineral.
MDC MP for Magwegwe constituency, Anele Ndebele said that copper exporting licences were encouraging vandalism of copper cables. While addressing Parliamentarians, Ndebele said:
I wish honourable speaker to then invite the minister of Home Affairs. Perhaps we could have a joint statement from the minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and the Minister of Mines and Mining Development on the wisdom of granting copper exporting licences to registered entities in Zimbabwe.
It is a fact honourable speaker that in this country we do not produce copper. It is also a fact that granting copper exporting licences to particular entities promotes vandalism for copper cables.
While some of the country’s copper mines were shut down a decade ago due to low prices of the mineral, some known reserves have depleted.