SYDNEY MUBAIWA
MBERENGWA- In the mineral-rich district of Mberengwa, David Kilpin, a small-scale miner at Jumbo 91 and 93 blocks has aligned his operations with the Environmental Management Agency’s (EMA) push for sustainable and compliant mining through fencing and pit reclamation.
The development comes after EMA flagged that many small-scale miners in the district lacked Environmental Impact Assessments, violating the EMA Act.
In an interview with The Midweek Watch, Kilpin said he is committed to uplift communities where he operates from for a mutually beneficial relationship that is aligned to the country’s “leaving no one and no place behind ” mantra.
He said his mining operations in Village 5 under Chief Bvute near Mberengwa Business Centre are committed to good mining practices that protect the environment, dismissing claims from some villagers in the area that he was flaunting Environmental Management Agency (EMA) regulations.
“We have been here (Village 5) for the last thirteen years. The uniqueness of this mine is its proximity to the community and we have impacted positively through the generation of employment where we have contracted over 120 employees,” he said.
“We believe that we have a good relationship with the local community and to avoid clashes, we are undertaking fencing as already guided by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA),” he said.
He revealed that his mining company is mobilising resources to start the construction of a primary school, an indication of his solid commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility programmes.
“We have gone the route of engaging the local community to build a school at one of my claims. The primary school will have the capacity to hold about 450 pupils to address the community needs. A ground breaking ceremony for the project has been shelved for May this year.”
“It is something that fits in my expectations and I feel that education is a first port of call that impacts the younger generation,” stressed Kilpin.
Kilpin’s mining activities have been a boon for smallholder farmers in Village 5 who were benefiting from water they draw from one of his mining shafts. The water was both for irrigation and domestic use.
“We have a shaft that we pump water out of even during the dry season. We drink the water ourselves and we also share it with members of the community to irrigate their gardens and the water is very safe for consumption,” he said.
According to Kilpin his long term goal was to revolutionarise small-scale mining in the Midlands and the nation at large by promoting environmentally-friendly mining so that future generations can also be able to inherit land that is not degraded and is safe for their own use.
Kilpin revealed plans to also help other small scale miners to improve efficiency through the harnessing of the latest mining technology and also influence them not only to embark on responsible mining but also plough back into local communities.
”I am happy that we are working together very well and closely with the local community in my area where we have completed reclamation of pits that were created during mining. We are also fencing off our entire mining area so that livestock does not stray. All these activities are approved by the relevant offices including the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).
Mberengwa District Development Coordinator Vafios Hlabati said he was happy with progress at Jumbo Mine.
“We are very happy with the progress made at Jumbo Mine where the proponent has heeded to environmental protection issues. The premises are now fenced and people should not panic anymore.
“We will closely monitor the situation at the mine ,” he said .
Responsible mining is now a mandatory, enforceable standard in Zimbabwe with the government launching the Responsible Mining Initiative Part 2 in late 2025 to tighten environmental regulations ,enforce rehabilitation and clamp down on rogue operations.
Kilpin said he was committed to help the Government fulfill its mining objectives.
