Lockdown: A health time bomb ticking as miners return at Premier Estate

MUTASA – An increasing number of defiant illegal gold panners has resurfaced at the gold rich Premier Estate in Mutasa district, defying the Goverment of Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 lockdown decree.

The renewed invasion by the illegal panners comes at a time the COVID -19 national lockdown has been put to level two as government strides towards restarting the economy.

Stage 2 has removed mining and manufacturing sectors restrictions, allowing them to reopen under rules set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and public health authorities.

The illegal miners are evading police and other security cordons.

Last weekend, a visit by Zim Morning Post at the Premier Estate revealed that the illegal panners were back in full force and had started panning.

The panners’ defiance has strained government’s effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 as the miners are reportedly not observing good personal hygiene and social distancing as recommended by WHO.

“We are ready for anything. So, l cannot choose between between dying of corona (virus) and hunger.

“You cannot talk about our health when l do not have money in my pocket. One must understand that there is hunger in our midst,” said one panner as he walked away.

The panners have devised sophisticated ways of evading the police.

Our investigations have revealed that other panners hide along major roads, on the lookout of police raids.

In the event that they see the police, the panners at the major roads would then alert others in the fields to leave.

Corruption has also crept into the system.

“Some police officers have formed syndicates with the illegal gold panners. They are the ones who phone or communicate and raise the alarm to the illegal miners of the impending raids and they will tell them to leave the gold fields,” said an informant.

“If we are caught, then it is another story. At the moment, everything is (economically) down my brother.

“We want to survive and fend for our families,” another panner said.

Manicaland Provincial Mining director Omen Sibanda on Tuesday confirmed that the illegal miners were back.

“Yes, they are back (illegal miners) but we have our teams and police patrolling the areas,” he said.

“We have managed to apprehend others and have handed them to the police,” added Sibanda.

“We continue monitoring their illegal operations and will do this with the help of our police,” he said.

Just before the lockdown decree, over 300 illegal miners were arrested countrywide under “Operation Chikorokoza Ngachipere”, a police blitz aimed at restoring law and order in the mining communities.