Continuous joint operations by Bulawayo City Council rangers and the police against illegal gold panners and sand poachers in the city’s water catchment areas appear to be failing to curb the activities.
This follows an incident where one gold panner was shot dead by a council ranger during a raid.
The ranger has since been arrested and remanded in custody until February 26.
These developments were revealed in the latest council report from the parks section, in which the director of housing and community services, Dictor Khumalo, reported on environmental degradation.
“Water catchment area joint patrols had been conducted by BCC Rangers jointly with the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Esigodini,” the report read.
“During these patrols eight illegal gold panners were arrested and handed over to Esigodini courts for prosecution.
“During their operation a total of 86 tools including four detector machines were confiscated and handed over to Esigodini police as exhibits.”
The report noted that council ranger Sizakele Moyo shot and killed one illegal gold panner during skirmishes and has been remanded to February 26, 2026.
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The council last year toyed around with the idea of opening a permanent base for its rangers and municipal police at the city’s water catchment areas located in Matabeleland South to curb illegal gold panning and sand poaching.
Gold panners threaten the city’s water sources by not only causing siltation, but also polluting the dams.
The rangers and police have previously conducted joint patrols, arrested the panners and sand poachers and confiscated their tools.
Reports indicate that the patrols and raids were doing little to stop illegal gold panners and sand poachers from returning to base, forcing authorities to entertain ideas of having a permanent police base near the water catchment areas.
The council report further stated that in greater Bulawayo, patrols were conducted to deal with illegal mining, sand poaching, and wood harvesting.
One truck was impounded for illegal sand extraction, and 70 tickets were issued for various offences.
“Illegal sale of firewood on donkey-drawn scotch carts was prevalent around the city due to power outages,” the report said.
The modus operandi of wood poachers had changed to nocturnal in nature in order to evade being arrested,” the report noted.
While surveillance indicated a reduction in illegal gold panning, open-air worshipping continued to be a “menace,” with rangers confiscating items from seven sites.
The council highlighted significant challenges, including being understaffed and having inadequate vehicles.
“Rangers at the water catchment area were overwhelmed by the numbers of illegal gold panners who resisted vacating restricted areas,” the report stated.
Stray livestock were also noted as a persistent problem in several suburbs, with the unit “highly incapacitated” to address it due to transport challenges.
The army has also expressed concerns against the encroachment into the ZNA Bulawayo District cantonment and training areas by the sand poachers and gold panners.
The panners have also encroached into the National University of Science and Technology premises.
In 2017, more than 200 gold panners invaded Bulawayo’s Matsheumhlope suburb, operating about 20 metres from residential homes.
