Youths Urge Govt To Re-Open Kitsiyatota Gold Fields

Bindura Bureau

Youths in mining have called on government to allow them to start mining at the famous Kitsayatota gold fields in Bindura which have been closed since last year.

The youths promised they will be professional in their operations.

Speaking during a MINEX Northern Region meeting in Glendale, Wednesday, Young Miners Federation (YMF) Chief Executive Officer Payne Kupfuwa said this was the best way Zimbabwe could achieve the US$12 billion mining sector mark.

Kupfuwa said the opening of Kitsiyatota and other mining fields infested with minerals but currently closed across the country will also open up employment opportunities for a number of youths including graduates who are currently unemployed.

Kitsiyatota in Bindura is a well-known gold field which used to accommodate more than 2000 artisanal miners before its closure early last year after the deployment of security services.

The closure of the gold rich fields was mainly triggered by violent clashes among gold barons over ownership issues.

Kupfuwa urged youths who are into mining to register either as individuals or companies as negotiations of the re-opening of the gold fields forge ahead.

He said as youths in mining they are dedicated to grow the country’s GDP but were not being given the access to such opportunities.

Kupfuwa further announced that YMF was taking a further step dedicated to imparting professional mining skills to fellow youths in the industry for their operations to become sustainable.

Speaking at the same expo, Deputy Mines and Mining Development Polite Kambamura the ministry is set to establish gold centres across all the country’s provinces.

These will be manned by Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR) and the move is earmarked to assist mining players with material as well as financial services which have been put in place for the facility to start next year.

However, FPR raised complaints against miners and players in the industry who are not paying back loans they acquire from the institution.

Without giving figures a staffer at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) subsidy said they were currently working on recovering finances they are owed by some of the players in the industry.

MINEX organised the expo with the intention of bringing miners, service providers in the sector as well as government officials together to create linkages.

MINEX Chairman, Munyaradzi Hwengwere said, “…for the country to achieve the best in mining, there must be coordination between the miners, service providers and the government”. Nhau/Indaba