by ZODZWA MLOTSHWA
PLUMTREE – PLUMTREE Rural District Council has introduced stringent regulations to curb uncontrolled alluvial mining, citing worsening land degradation, threats to water sources, and growing safety concerns.
The new by-law, gazetted as Statutory Instrument 145 of 2025, seeks to restore order in an area where informal mining activities have expanded rapidly in recent months.
Council officials say the measures were necessary after streams, grazing land, and community infrastructure were increasingly damaged by deep, unregulated pits.
Residents had also raised fears over collapsing shafts and the contamination of shared water points.
Under the new regulations, no mining activity may exceed a vertical depth of 1.5 metres unless the ground is terraced or safely sloped.
Workings must be properly supported, and undercutting is only permitted under specified safety conditions. Mechanical alluvial mining within public streams now requires a permit issued by an inspector of mines, in consultation with the provincial natural resources officer and council.
All mined streambeds must be rehabilitated immediately through backfilling, while authorised miners must pay royalties, levies, licences, and other approved council fees.
Prospectors and miners operating in the area are required to submit certified copies of their licences, with all processes aligned to the Mines and Minerals Act. Panning is fully prohibited unless licensed by the Ministry of Mines.
Developers whose projects require an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment must formally apply, involve council in consultations, and provide details of consultants engaged.
Quarterly environmental monitoring reports must also be submitted to council and the Environmental Management Agency.
Council says all assessment reports will be made available for public inspection to ensure transparency and accountability.
