Trymore Tagwirei

Villagers in Mberengwa have requested Sandawana Mine to do more to fix roads that are being damaged by heavy trucks carrying lithium ore to Gwanda Mine for milling.

Sandawana Mine, which used to produce emeralds from the 1950s until the early 2000s, is now run by government-controlled Kuvimba Mine House.

Mberengwa Ward 29 Councilor Collen Mhloro told EnviroPress that on average, over 40 huge vehicles use the road to Gwanda on a daily basis thereby exerting severe strain on the local week road infrastructure.

“Initially, the trucks used the York Township road which then got severely damaged in the process, so they are now using the West Nicholson Road. We are worried that road would be destroyed unless serious maintenance measures are put in place, said Mhloro.

As a result of heavy vehicles using the gravel roads, Mhloro said, there was an increase in dust pollution which affects several villages.

Vongai Zhou of Mapolisa Village said she expected the mine to take responsibility for local roads

“All our roads linking Sandawana to Mberengwa Growth Point are in ruin, and we expect the mine, as the heaviest user of the roads, to team up with authorities and improve them. Ambulances can no longer respond to emergencies because the roads are hardly usable especially by smaller vehicles with no off-road capabilities,” she said.

Other villagers said the neglect that the district suffers despite producing lithium for the country was comparable to the colonial period when authorities ignored the developmental needs of the local people despite extracting emeralds for several decades.

The district is also home to several small scale gold mines many of which are controlled by politically-exposed powerful individuals.

Kuvimba Mining House Public Office Cornwell Ncube said the company was working with partners to improve road maintenance and build a milling plant on site.

“We are working with our partners to map the scope of works regarding the infrastructural needs of the mine and the district. We are working with all stakeholders and very soon, we will be able to pay more attention to our roads,” he said.

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