BULAWAYO-
Vice
President
Constantino
Chiwenga
on
Thursday
vowed
that
the
government
will
introduce
stringent
regulations
and
oversight
mechanisms
to
root
out
corruption,
illicit
trading
and
leakages
in
Zimbabwe’s
mining
sector
—
warning
that
such
vices
are
“cancers
that
erode
public
trust”
and
deprive
citizens
of
national
wealth.
Speaking
at
the
official
opening
of
the
28th
Edition
of
the
Mining,
Engineering
and
Transport
(Mine
Entra)
Expo
in
Bulawayo,
Chiwenga
said
the
government
would
tighten
compliance
systems
to
ensure
transparency
across
the
mining
value
chain.
“Corruption,
illicit
trading
and
leakages
are
cancers
that
erode
public
trust,
distort
markets
and
deprive
citizens
of
their
rightful
benefits,”
Chiwenga
said.
“We
are
challenging
all
responsible
authorities
and
agencies
to
put
in
place
mechanisms
that
enhance
transparency
in
licensing,
monitoring
and
enforcement.”
He
said
regular
audits,
whistleblower
protection,
and
community
engagement
would
be
central
to
a
new
governance
framework
aimed
at
cleaning
up
the
sector.
He
also
commended
recent
investments,
including
the
commissioning
of
the
Palm
River
Energy
Metallurgical
Plant
and
Zimplats’
Smelter
Expansion
and
Abatement
Project,
describing
them
as
“milestones
that
anchor
beneficiation
and
energy
self-sufficiency.”
However,
Chiwenga
stressed
that
Zimbabwe’s
ambitions
went
beyond
such
projects,
calling
for
a
“fully-integrated
mining
value
chain”
that
supports
manufacturing,
energy
production
and
exports.
He
also
urged
greater
collaboration
between
mining
houses
and
research
institutions
to
adopt
geospatial
mapping,
artificial
intelligence
and
automation
for
improved
efficiency
and
traceability.
Under
the
National
Development
Strategy
1
(NDS1),
mining
is
identified
as
a
key
pillar
of
economic
transformation.
Chiwenga
said
Zimbabwe
was
aligning
its
operations
with
the
Africa
Mining
Vision
and
the
SADC
Protocol
on
Mining
by
integrating
climate
resilience,
renewable
energy
use
and
ecosystem
restoration
into
its
framework.
“The
expansion
of
our
mining
industry
must
not
come
at
the
expense
of
our
environment
and
communities,”
he
added.
Chiwenga
said
the
government’s
re-engagement
policy
remained
open
to
“investors
from
all
corners
of
the
world
who
share
our
values
of
responsibility,
transparency
and
shared
prosperity.”
Declaring
the
expo
officially
open,
Chiwenga
called
on
all
miners,
investors
and
stakeholders
to
“go
beyond
extraction”
and
turn
Zimbabwe’s
mineral
wealth
into
“sustainable
prosperity.”