MAKOROKOZA INVADE BIGGEST CATTLE FARM

Government has deployed security and environment agencies to the Rhodes Estate in the Matopos National Park to address concerns over rampant illegal gold mining activities, which is threatening livestock production at one of the country’s biggest pedigree cattle farms.

Known for its famed Brahman and Beefmasters breeds produced by the Pilossof brothers, the farm has been invaded by illegal gold panners whose indiscriminate digging in recent years has caused severe environmental degradation.

Many cattle have died after falling into the pits dug by the panners. The sprawling 4 000-hectare enterprise, is run by the Pilossof brothers, a household name in the pedigree cattle and genetics business in the country.

In 2014 the Pilossof brothers entered into an agreement with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) to run their pedigree business in the Rhodes Estates as means to preserve parts of the Matopos National Park — a world heritage site — while at the same time operating a commercially viable livestock project in the park.

For years, the Pilossof family has been battling an ever growing influx of illegal gold panners who have been digging pits and deep trenches where the cattle are falling in.

Yesterday Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu and her delegation of heads of key Government departments visited the farm to have first-hand appreciation of the problem the cattle farmers are facing as a result of the illegal gold mining activities.

Head of the farm project, Mr Paul Pilossof, estimated that close to 200 pedigree cattle have died in the last couple of years after falling into the open pits left by the illegal gold panners or from drinking water contaminated with chemicals such as cyanide, whose use is now outlawed in the extraction of gold. The pedigree cattle at the farm can cost between US$4  000 to US$8 000 each.

Some Pilossof Ruvale Brahman bulls from the farm have in the past been sold for as much as US$13 000 each.

On one end of the farm, at the base of a small mountain, the news crew saw over 30 pits concentrated in a very small area. A few illegal panners were brave enough to stick around as Minister Ndlovu and her entourage together with officials from ZimParks, Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, the Environment Management Authority (EMA), the police and other stakeholders assessed the damage.

The rest of the omakorokoza fled or hid in their deep pits to evade possible arrest as the entourage approached.

“We have been at the farm since 2014 after signing an agreement with ZimParks and we have been encountering problems with illegal miners invading our farm and digging for gold,” said Mr Pilossof.

“The illegal mining has been happening for years and it appears nothing is being done to stop the activities. We fenced off a large area where illegal mining is taking place in order to keep our cattle away but the mining just keeps spreading and the panners are cutting the fence.”

Mr Pilossof said they are now being forced to move their cattle from the farm because its no longer safe to keep them there.

“We lose an average of 60 pedigree cattle per year from snares, stock theft, cattle falling into pits or dying after drinking cyanide contaminated water,” said Mr Pilossof.

Minister Ndlovu said the province is dependent on agriculture and livestock farming contributes significantly to the region’s economy.

“The illegal mining activities that are taking place at this farm are counter-productive and cannot be allowed to continue,” said Dr Ndlovu.

She ordered officials from the mines ministry to report back to her office with a list of miners that were allowed to mine at the Rhodes Estates under special permits issued with the consent of ZimParks.

“Mining and agriculture can be done side by side but only when both parties are working within the confines of the law. I want a list of everyone who is mining legally so that we flush out the illegal miners,” said Dr Ndlovu.

Mr Chancellor Chidziva, Matabeleland South acting provincial mining director, said his office can only issue out a special mining permit to a miner after the approval of ZimParks.

“ZimParks are custodians of the Matopos National Park so anyone who wishes to carry out mining in the national park must first seek a special permit from them,” he said.

“It is only after Zimparks issues out the special permit that we do the necessary paperwork and grant the individual the right to mine,” said Mr Chidziva.

 He however said he could not immediately provide the number of miners who hold the special permits to mine in the Matopos National Park.

 The special permits expire after two years and are only renewed when the miner meets all the necessary conditions.

 ZimParks senior area manager, Mr Thembelani Sibanda, said the majority of gold panners did not have special permits to mine in the area and as such were mining illegally.

 “The farm was set aside as a reserved area for cattle rearing and only miners with special grants are allowed to work here. ZimParks acknowledges the growing problem of illegal mining in this area and our plea is for all the stakeholders to work together to flush out the illegal gold panners,” he said.

 “Conflict of interest between mining and farming is not peculiar to this farm alone so a holistic approach is needed to solve problems that emanate from such situations,”

According to the EMA provincial manager, Mr Decent Ndlovu, the area in and around the Pilossof farm is one of the worst degraded places in the province as a result of illegal mining activities.

“We classify this area as a hotspot in terms of illegal mining because it is one of the worst degraded places in the province. The farmers have been here since 2014 and have invested a lot in terms of rehabilitating the area and today it keeps thousands of cattle. So, it’s sad when all that good work is destroyed by illegal mining activities,” said Mr Ndlovu. Chronicle

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