The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has recently gathered more than $2,000 from fines related to environmental violations, raising concerns about an increase in gold panning and sand mining activities within the city’s watershed regions.
These details are contained within the most recent minutes from the council’s discussion on the Parks department report, where Housing and Community Services Director Dictor Khumalo outlined the violations recorded during April.
On land degradation in water catchment areas, the council noted that 83 surveillance patrols were conducted during the month, bringing the cumulative total to 281 between January and March this year.
“The surveillance patrols were jointly conducted by BCC rangers and Esigodini police. Twelve illegal gold panners were arrested and handed over to Esigodini courts for prosecution. This brought the total number since January to date to 16,” the minutes read.
Throughout these procedures, a combined total of 45 instruments, which included three detection devices, were seized and transferred to the Esigodini police for use as evidence.
In the Greater Bulawayo regions, the council mentioned that they carried out regular patrols as well as extensive ones throughout the city with the aim of preventing unlawful mining operations, unauthorized sand extraction, and illicit logging.
"One hundred ten pieces of equipment, which included five sand-poaching trucks, were seized for violating environmental laws. Thirty-seven citations were handed out to those involved in these infractions. Out of the thirty-seven citations, twenty-eight have been settled with a total payment amounting to $2,175.56," stated the minutes.
Nine tickets remained unissued, totaling $1,698.28. Due to load shedding, wood poaching became a significant issue; consequently, five scotch carts and two wheelbarrows were seized for violating the city's environmental regulations.
“Fifty-one surveillance patrols on illegal gold panning were conducted during the course of the month and it was observed by the rangers that there was a great reduction on illegal gold panning activities around the City.”
Regarding the sale of pit sand at the two locations, the council observed that $420 was generated from 37 trucks that took sand from these two excavation sites.
The council observed that there were issues with donkeys causing problems in the city, particularly in suburban regions near the outskirts.
“The lands inspectorate struggled significantly to remove these donkeys from the outskirts of the city because of transportation issues, as the rangers' utility vehicle was still undergoing repairs at the main garage,” according to the report.
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