The Bulawayo City Council has declared war on illegal gold panners, sand and wood poachers and vagrants with several of them having been arrested while their equipment has been confiscated.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
Council accuses panners, vagrants and poachers of causing land degradation.
A total of 72 tickets were issued for illegal gold panning, sand and wood poaching in May while culprits were arrested by council rangers. Vagrants were reportedly sent to Ngozi Mine, a dumpsite where squatters live.
“Out of those (72 tickets), 53 were paid for and 19 are still outstanding. A total of $3 814 was realised and $1 418 has not been cleared to date.
“The number of tools confiscated is 154 adding up to 2 089 since January,” read the latest report of council’s environmental management committee.
“A total of seven illegal gold panners were arrested and five detectors were confiscated during patrols.
“Two detectors were taken by police as evidence in court. Three detectors were paid for and released.
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“Three vagrants were arrested in the CBD and sent to Ngozi Mine.”
The raids come after the local authority raised a red flag on illegal sand poaching activities, especially at Hyde Park Cemetery where coffins were left exposed in search of pit sand used for house construction.
Sand poachers are stealing gravel and other soils delivered at the cemetery for refilling graves left exposed by the culprits, for resell to people constructing houses in Pumula South and other new suburbs, the council recently reported.
The council blames illegal gold panning for causing siltation of dams that supply water to the city, resulting in the local authority incurring a high bill buying more chemicals for purifying water for drinking purposes.
