BY SILAS NKALA
BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has collected over $490 000 through fines paid by environmental violators.
Council’s latest report on environmental degradation in Greater Bulawayo and water catchment areas revealed that routine patrols were conducted in hotspots, resulting in the arrest of 11 illegal gold panners.
“The following hand tools were confiscated and handed over to Esigodini police, 44 shovels, 24 crowbars, 25 picks, 10 axes, five wheelbarrows, one spade and one machete,” the report read.
In Greater Bulawayo, council noted that routine patrols were conducted targeting sand poachers, wood harvesters and illegal gold mining activities.
“During these patrols a total of 64 tickets were issued to various offenders and out of those tickets 48 had already been paid for realising $492 378 and $291 090 is still outstanding for 16 tickets.
“A total of 49 truckloads were recorded at the two legal pit sand sites. A sum of $252 164 had been realised during the month from pit sand sales.”
In May, BCC reported that it raked in over $1 million through fines collected from environment violators such as gold panners and sand poachers.
In the Greater Bulawayo area, council noted that patrols were done at mineral and sand extraction sites. BCC said two rangers were assaulted and injured during skirmishes in Pumula.
“One of the ranger attendants was sent to Mpilo Hospital and was discharged the same day. Currently all patrols are jointly conducted with police in Luveve and Pumula.
“During the patrols, a total of 112 tickets were issued to various offenders and 103 tickets had already been paid for with a sum of $1 128 123 realised. A total of nine tickets were outstanding with a sum of $571 494,” the report read.
“A total of 27 truckloads were recorded at the two legal pit sand sites and a total sum of $108 657 was collected. There was a serious decline in trucks recorded at the two sites due to shortages of patrol vehicles, manpower and poor road network, especially the Mazwi pit (Outside Pumula area).”
In the water catchment area, BCC reported that in March, joint patrols with the police were abandoned after the council patrol vehicle was involved in an accident.
“Though patrols were conducted on foot, 25 illegal gold panners were arrested and hand tools were confiscated. These include three (metal) detectors, 22 shovels, 12 picks, 28 crowbars, one wheel barrow, three axes, one digger and one mobile phone. All the tools and panners were handed over to the police.”
Council also stated that it engaged grass cutters to clear bushes and as a result 35 contract workers were re-engaged.
