Nyoni quashes Insiza reports

Politics
SMALL and Medium Enterprises minister Sithembiso Nyoni yesterday dismissed as lies claims by some Insiza district women in Matabeleland South that she sanctioned the grabbing of mining claims by Zanu PF women’s league members from Harare.

SMALL and Medium Enterprises minister Sithembiso Nyoni yesterday dismissed as lies claims by some Insiza district women in Matabeleland South that she sanctioned the grabbing of mining claims by Zanu PF women’s league members from Harare.

SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER

Nyoni said she only went to the district on June 9 to give a mining co-operative a certificate of recognition.

Some Insiza women told Southern Eye about two weeks ago that there was chaos in the district after some Zanu PF women’s league members were brought to the constituency by Nyoni to take over mining claims.

They alleged that most mining claims in the district were being taken by women from Harare and locals were only used as labourers.

However, Nyoni yesterday said the claims were all lies and urged people not to speculate on issues they had no facts about.

“I have never been in touch with any women with claims in Insiza and I don’t know any woman there who wants to mine in Insiza,” she said.

“Those women’s claims are lies. I do not know where those women got that from.”

Nyoni said the only mining group she had worked with was a co-operative which she presented with a registration certificate in Insiza on June 9.

“I went to Insiza on June 9 to give that group their certificate,” she said.

“There are about 26 members in that co-operative with 84 mining claims and all is above board in that co-operative.

“Those women claim I spoke about $5 million allocation to women in mining; I never talked about that. Maybe they are referring to someone else. If they are saying it’s me then they must stop talking things which they have no facts on.”