Trymore Tagwirei
The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) has claimed that Shashe River is now safe from toxins that flowed into the water body from the tailings dam of a nearby mine.
EMA Masvingo Provincial Manager Milton Muusha said they were now working with the mine authorities to avoid further pollution of the river.
“We have been collecting water samples from the river for tests at our laboratories right from the day that the accident was reported. We are working with the mine authorities to avoid similar accidents in the future,” said Muusha.
On 10 January, EMA released a statement detailing contamination of the river which had been reported on January 01 after the tailings dam at Cambria 4 gold mine overflowed due to heavy rains in the area.
The overflow resulted in the discharge of slimes into a stream which feeds into Shashe River thus contaminating the river’s water and killing hundreds of fish.
“The mine was issued a ticket and an environmental protection order to cease operations until all recommendations made by the Agency to rectify the accidental discharge and suspected pollution are met. The mine was also ordered to put in place pollution abatement measures,” reads part of the statement which was signed by the agency’s national Environmental Education and Publicity Manager, Amkela Sidange (pictured)
However, Muusha assured EnviroPress in an interview that full remedial action had now been implemented.
“We are pleased that the mine authorities have implemented all the recommendations that we made. The water in the river is no longer contaminated and things have returned to normal,” Muusha said.
Downstream communities such as Bwanya and many other villages rely on the river’s water for many uses including agriculture and laundry.
Chivi North ward 3 Councilor Steven Takawira expressed relief that authorities had worked to quickly resolve the problem.
“EMA still come everyday but they have given us assurances that the water is now usable. They have expressed their commitment to safeguard our environment and human life. Several fish were affected but we are relieved that there is no longer any threat to people and their livestock,” said Takawira.
A tailings dam stores byproducts of mining operations called tailings, and these can be liquid, solid, or a slurry of fine particles which can be highly acidic and toxic.