Mnangagwa axes Sithembiso Nyoni as environment, climate and wildlife minister

 Mnangagwa offers no reason for decision which comes after Nyoni’s ministry opposed mining at Hwange National Park

BULAWAYO – President Emmerson Mnangagwa axed environment, climate and wildlife minister Sithembiso Nyoni without explanation on Thursday.
Nyoni, 75, has been a government minister since 2002.

The minister’s “removal” from cabinet is with immediate effect, chief cabinet secretary Martin Rushwaya said.
Nyoni served in various ministries including as minister of SMEs; women and youth affairs; and industry minister before she was transferred to environment in March last year.

Nyoni’s surprise dismissal comes amid intensifying Zanu PF factional fights triggered a push by Mnangagwa loyalists to amend the constitution and extend his term of office beyond 2028 when his second and final term expires.

Recently, the department of parks and wildlife which she supervised clashed with the ministry of mines after the latter granted a Chinese miner Sunny Yi Feng (Private) Limited an exclusive coal prospecting licence inside the Hwange National Park.

ZimParks issued a strongly worded statement stating that “this area is a critical habitat for black rhinos” as it warned that “approving this mining project would increase the risk of species extinction and harm efforts to grow their population.”

Before joining the government, Nyoni worker for NGO the Organisation of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP) which she founded in 1981 and remains its president.

Source: Mnangagwa axes Sithembiso Nyoni as environment, climate and wildlife minister (03/04/25)

Hwange Villagers, Chinese Investors In Stand-Off Over Coal Project

 VILLAGERS in Dinde area, Hwange are locked in stand-off with Chinese investors over the foreigners’ proposed coal exploration operations.

The villagers want the operation stopped arguing the Chinese investors are in breach of Zimbabwe’s environmental and customary   laws.

Library image of open-cast mining, Hwange District

They also accuse the investors of failing to produce any documents granting them permission to work in the area nor did they engage the local community for social cohesion.

The Chinese investors operating as Beifer Investments, moved to Dinde to start the work last Friday in Ward 13 of Hwange Rural District, Matabeleland North.

However, villagers fear that, should the project continue, they will be forced to relocate while others will     be exposed to air and water pollution of Nyantuwe River which    provides drinking water for humans and livestock.

They also fear loss of livelihoods, grazing land for their livestock, and cultural heritage sites such as graveyards for  the Nekatambe chieftainship as well as contamination of ritual sites.

According to the Dinde Residents Association, from February 2019 to December 2019, a team of Chinese investors toured the village without consulting or engaging locals.

“In December 2019, the same team brought some lightweight machinery and set up a camp behind one Emelia Mukombwe’s homestead within the village where they intended to start drilling,” the Dinde Residents Association said.

“Locals approached the Chinese, who failed   to produce documents authorising them to explore in the area.”

The Chinese intended to drill 13 holes in a straight line of a 1, 9 kilometre stretch without due care of what was in the path.

The locals ordered them to leave and return with documents granting them permission to work in Dinde.

Thereafter, the Chinese investors returned to Dinde with several officers from the Environmental Management Agency, Hwange Rural District Council, traditional leaders, Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe National Army and a local miner, to coerce the villagers.

On 8 January 2020, a delegation of local community members was dispatched to Hwange Rural District office to establish the legality of the Chinese operation.

Hwange RDC chief executive Mr Phindile Ncube told them the Chinese had a special grant for exploration.

On June 2020, the Chinese returned to Dinde  in the company of Chief Charles Nekatambe, a  Mr. Ncube and Chilota Colliery Company proprietor  Lazarus Kwidini.

The chief, Kwidini and Ncube acted as gate- keepers, and barred interaction between the locals and the Chinese nationals. Kwidini told the villagers the Chinese were working on Chilota Colliery’s concession while Chief Nekatambe intimidated the villagers, threatening to get them arrested.

The Chinese returned to Dinde again on 11 November and 15 December 2020 accompanied by traditional leaders, state security agents and EMA officials.

Dinde is home to thousands of Nambyas and Tongas tribes.

The Centre for Natural Resources Governance (CNRG) said the local Dinde community had a right to live in their ancestral land and reserve the right to say reject forced evictions.

“Government must respect the rights of the Dinde community as enshrined in the constitution of Zimbabwe,” the CNRG said.

“The Chinese investor has violated the country’s environmental laws, specifically, section 97 which spells that an environmental impact assessment must be carried out before prospecting.

“The fact that the community of Dinde was not aware that they fall within a special exploration grant concession is testimony that they were never engaged.”

Source: Hwange Villagers, Chinese Investors In Stand-Off Over Coal Project (09/02/21)

Companies in Hwange National Park to mine for coal

 TWO Chinese companies are reportedly exploring for coal in the protected Hwange National Park, raising concerns from wildlife activists.

Library image of open-cast mining, Hwange District

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) rangers reportedly arrested some Chinese nationals inside the game park after finding doing some drilling.

The parks rangers handed them over to police only to be released and returned to the site with a permit allowing them to dig.

A statement from one of the leading wildlife conservation organisations, Bhejane Trust, stated that SustiGlobal and Zimbabwe Zhongxin Coal Mining Group are mining in Sinamatela and Robins Camp between Hwange and Victoria Falls.

Bhejane Trust, which confirmed authoring the statement, said SustiGlobal had circulated questionnaires seeking the views of concerned stakeholders about establishing a mine in the game park.

“Our Rhino monitoring team recently found some Chinese in Hwange National Park. We managed to ascertain they were drilling core samples for coal. Zimparks arrested them and took them to police.

“However, they soon reappeared with a permit giving them the right to carry on in the Park with exploratory drilling,” said Bhejane Trust which is based in Victoria Falls.

The trust said it was worried because the exploration work was being done without any consultation, as even Zimparks area manager was not aware of the goings on.

“They seem to feel they have a right to go wherever they like to. We followed up on this and discovered the Government has allocated two coal mining concessions in the middle of Sinamatela and Robins Camp.

“The mining concessions are special grants which apparently can only be issued by the President and both have been granted to Chinese companies. A company called SustiGlobal has subsequently sent us stakeholders questionnaire forms.

“One map shows the coal mining concession SG7263 that incorporates Deteema Dam and Masuma Dam out of a company called Afrochine Energy of the Tsingashan Group of China.

“The other concession SG5756 granted to the Zimbabwe Zhongxin Coal Mining Group has also contracted SustiGlobal to do an EIA again with an undated stakeholders’ questionnaire and again to cover initial exploratory drilling and opening of roads, building camps.

“However, they have started exploratory work in the park,” Bhejane Trust added.

The questionnaires are reportedly for an environmental impact assessment for the concessions but only to cover the initial exploratory drilling and opening of roads, building camps.

Bhejane Trust said their findings were that the concessions were granted late last year and was not sure if the EIA certificate had been granted.

“We are not certain to whom else the questionnaire have been sent and the questionnaires are not dated. Bhejane Trust has responded to the questionnaire and waits to hear back from SustiGlobal. We will be ready to support Zimparks where required,” read the statement.

The issue has raised emotions in Hwange where residents, tour operators and wildlife activists have vowed to block any mining in the national parks to protect wildlife.

Several coal mines operated by Chinese have opened in Hwange around the Hwange Colliery Company concession over the years.

Source: Chinese invade Hwange National Park to mine for coal (03/09/20)

Coal Mining Concessions Given in Hwange National Park

From the Bhejane Trust Facebook Page (01/09/20):

Our Rhino Monitoring team recently found some Chinese in Hwange Park – we managed to ascertain they were drilling core samples for coal. Parks arrested them and turned them over to the Police. However, they soon reappeared with a permit giving them the right to carry on in the Park with exploratory drilling. They did this without any consultation with the Area Manager and seem to feel they have a right to go wherever they like to.

We followed up on this and discovered the Government has allocated two coal mining concessions in the middle of Sinamatella and Robins!. The mining concessions are Special Grants which apparently can only be issued by the President, and both been granted to Chinese companies.

A company called SustiGlobal have subsequently sent us Stakeholders Questionnaire forms One map shows the coal mining concession SG7263 that incorporates Deteema Dam and Masuma Dam, out to a company called Afrochine Energy of the Tsingashan Group of China. We are not certain to whom else the questionnaire have been sent, and the questionnaires are not dated. The questionnaires are for an EIA for the concessions but only to cover the initial exploratory drilling and opening of roads, building camps, etc. It appears the concession was promulgated in late 2019.

The other concession granted , SG 5756 to the Zimbabwe Zhongxin Coal Mining Group has also contracted SustiGlobal to do an EIA, again with an undated Stakeholders Questionnaire, and again to cover the initial exploratory drilling and opening of roads, building camps, etc. However, they have started exploratory work in the Park, so it is not sure if an EIA permit has been granted or not.

Bhejane Trust has replied to the questionnaire and waits to hear back from SustiClobal. We will be ready to support National parks where required.

Source: Coal Mining in Hwange, Bhejane Trust Facebook Page (01/09/20)

Zimbabwe to release 1 million hectares of protected land for mining

BULAWAYO, July 19 (The Source) — Zimbabwe is planning to release one million hectares of protected land to small-scale gold miners across the country to boost production, Mines and Development deputy minister, Fred Moyo has said, a development that threatens wildlife areas.

Moyo told journalists at the on-going Mining, Engineering and Transport (Mine Entra) expo that the land would be released very “soon”.

“The geology is largely gold so those provinces that have got more gold than others obviously will have more hectarage but we are releasing in all the provinces. It’s basically happening now and paperwork is in the process of being signed,” Moyo said.

“Remember these will be protected areas and we are removing the protection and once these are lifted people can go and peg in the normal way that they do. Last week I signed one in Mashonaland West, one in the Midlands, and there was one in Masvingo.”

Zimbabwe has six categories of protected land; national parks, gazetted forests, botanical reserves, botanical gardens, safari areas and 15 recreational parks and sanctuaries.

Zimbabwe Miners Federation president, Aplonia Munzverengwi told The Source that some miners were already mining in state-reserved areas.

“Right now, those activities they are informal and people are taking the gold to the black market. The (mines) ministry has now managed to identify those State reserved areas where they are going to release land,” she said.

“As soon as the land is officially released they should register their activities and they will be able to access loans from (government owned gold buyer) Fidelity, mechanisation and the working capital.”

Source: Zimbabwe to release 1mln ha of protected land for mining (19/07/17)

Zambian mine threatens world heritage site

The high court in Zambia is hearing an application from civil society organisations that are trying to stop the granting of a licence for a copper mine in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

Australian-owned mine Zambezi Resources Limited was given a 25-year permit in 2011 to prospect and mine in the Lower Zambezi National Park. The Kangaluwi Copper Project will see an opencast mine being built in the park, which is a formally protected area and part of the Zambezi River’s catchment zone.

It is also across the river from Mana Pools in Zimbabwe, a world heritage site.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature lists the Lower Zambezi National Park as a category two protected area. This means it must be maintained for “ecosystem protection” and recreation. In 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation encouraged the Zambian government to apply to make the park a world heritage site – this would then create a trans-boundary park with Mana Pools.

Compromising ecological value
The park stretches along 120km of the Zambezi River, and the government’s tourism agency says it is the fourth most visited park in the country. In 2012 the Zambian Environmental Management Authority rejected the mine’s environmental impact assessment.

“The proposed site is not suitable for the nature of the project because it is located in the middle of a national park, and thus intends to compromise the ecological value of the park as well as the ecosystem,” it said.

But in February the mine was given permission to go ahead by Zambia’s minister for Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. But this was temporarily halted, thanks to a court challenge from the Zambia Community Natural Resources Management Forum.

The mine has said it will make a mine that does not damage the ecosystem in the park. Earlier this year it released a statement saying, “Zambezi Resources promises to build the world’s greenest copper mine.”

Negative consequences
Groups opposing the mining say it is within the middle Zambezi elephant corridor. This was created to allow the herbivores to move freely along their traditional migratory routes. It is also home to several endangered species, such as the African wild dog.

One of the principal opposition groups, the Zambian Community Based Natural Resources Forum – a grouping of non-governmental and community organisations – said the mine would “generate negative impacts” beyond Zambia’s borders. It would lead to “significant alteration of the area’s hydrological system”.

This would threaten Mana Pools in Zimbabwe, and was therefore threatening to create conflict between the states, it said in a statement last week. It would also be in contravention of regional water sharing agreements, it said. “The mining operation is likely to increase surface and ground water contamination in the Zambezi River and other local streams.”

It said that while the mine would create 250 jobs, more than 800 people were employed in local tourism. The mine would “lead to significant loss in tourism operations”.

Given the mine’s sensitive location and potential adverse impact on tourism, the group said it should not go ahead. “There is no feasible scenario under which the proposed project would proceed without causing severe and far-reaching environmental and geopolitical impacts.”

‘Stop the mine’
A discussion document paper on best practice for mining in the whole Southern African Development Community region, drafted by mining consulting firm Estelle Levin and released two months ago, found that Zambia’s “strong legal framework” was not being implemented. 

It used the Kangaluwi Copper Project as a case study. “Flaws have resulted in expert advice being disregarded and mining developments permitted in protected areas of high biodiversity call,” it said.

A comprehensive report by independent reviewer Dr Kellie Leigh, done for opposition groups, and released last week, proposed that the mining be scrapped. “There is considerable risk of long-term damage beyond the life of the project, to the health and well being of communities, wildlife and the environment.”

It also said that if the mine went ahead, it would set a dangerous precedent for other mining in national parks.

Last week a coalition of Zimbabwean civil society groups called on their environment minister to put pressure on his Zambian counterpart to stop the mine.

Source: Zambian mine threatens world heritage site (Mail & Guardian, SA, 23/11/14)

SIGN THE ZAMBEZI SOCIETY'S ONLINE PETITION HERE

READ MORE ON THIS ISSUE HERE.

'No oil deposits in Zimbabwe'

Zimbabwe has no proven oil deposits, deputy Mines minister Fred Moyo has said.
His remarks come on the back of media reports that the land-locked country could be having oil and gas reserves, according to an exploration exercise performed about two decades ago.
However, Moyo - a former managing director of two Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed mining firms - told Business Live that "…from a technical bias point of view ie. try to zero on scientific facts and less perceptions… from a ministry's point of view, there has been no announcement of an oil find and we have not found any oil".
He said while geologically, Zimbabwe has the Karoo sedimentary basins capable of hosting gas and oil, the basins have not been adequately explored.
Moyo said the Mines and Minerals Development department was interrogating the issue and as such, it will be part of the forthcoming Zimbabwe Mining Indaba agenda.
Oil and natural gas are produced by the same geological process, anaerobic decay of organic matter deep under the earth's surface.
As a consequence, oil and natural gas are often found together.
Moyo said noted that, with oil deposits being discovered in most countries on the continent, and more importantly, considering that sub-Saharan Africa is currently receiving the bulk of the world's gas and oil exploration capital funds, there could be hope for Zimbabwe.
"Countries around us have been and are busy on exploration efforts towards gas and oil registering encouraging results so far," said the seasoned miner.
In the past few years, oil has been discovered in Uganda and Kenya by Tullow Oil while gas deposits found off Tanzania and Mozambique have turned Africa into a frontier for hydrocarbon exploration.
Moyo confirmed that there were coal bed methane gas reserves in Zimbabwe, adding that "the future looks good in this regard".
According to reports, coal bed methane gas mining exploration activities in the country date back more than 10 years.
To date, exploration work done indicates extensive deposits of the resource.
It is estimated that the Hwange and Lupane basins have over 23 billion cubic feet per square mile - equivalent to 27 trillion cubic feet of sulphur-free methane gas.
Source: 'No oil deposits in Zimbabwe' (Bulawayo News24 - 06/10/14)

Oil reserves 'discovered' in Zimbabwe

The state media reports that Zimbabwe could become an oil and gas producer following strong indications of significant reserves of the resources in northern parts of the country.
According to Sunday Mail, government has already commissioned mining research experts to determine the extent of the potential reserves in the Zambezi Valley.
Earlier exploration by hydrocarbons giant Mobil Oil in the 1990s concluded there was nearly "100 percent potential of gas" and a high possibility of oil occurrence in the region.
However, authorities did not prioritise further exploratory work then due to various competing national issues such as the military intervention in the DRC and the fast-track land reform programme.
But with several African countries recently announcing oil and gas finds, such as in Mozambique and Namibia, interest has been rekindled and authorities have revisited the matter.
Mines and Mining Development Secretary Professor Francis Gudyanga told The Sunday Mail: "We are working on that, but I think it is too early to make it public."
This paper has gathered that Government mandated a team of experts to confirm the existence of the oil and gas reserves. Geo Associates and Invictus Energy Resources are assisting the Mines Ministry and the Geological Survey Department in the project.
Research shows that hydrocarbon deposits occur in sedimentary geological features less than 300 million years old. Zimbabwe has three areas holding sedimentary geological features that fit the profile – Karoo (150-300 million years), Cretaceous (50-140 million years), and Kalahari (four-50 million years). Of these, the Zambezi Valley — which sits on Karoo sediments in the Cabora Bassa Basin — holds the most potential for gas and possibly oil.
Between 1989 and 1993, Mobil Oil explored a part of the Zambezi Valley in the Cabora Bassa Basin spanning 30 120 square kilometres.
The company concluded the area was likely to have gas, a finding corroborated by German Geological Survey BGR. BGR analysed the data and carried out extensive fieldwork and indicated the area potentially held high volumes of recoverable gas.
However, no actual drilling took place.
Sedimentologist and geological consultant Dr Dennis Shoko, who worked with Mobil on the initial exploration, said: "The work carried out by Mobil was very extensive and the results they produced were very positive. Their surveys included airborne geo-physical work. They worked on the structure of our basin in areas such as the Mana Pools, the Cabora Basin and Zambezi Basin.
"Their conclusion was that there was an almost 100 percent potential of gas, which then makes having oil a possibility. They then proposed to have a joint venture with Government to begin work that included drilling and setting up a 4km-deep borehole. But at that time, Government said it was not a priority and turned down the joint venture."
He added: "In recent years, an oil leak was discovered in Lupane, meaning there is high chance that there is oil in the Cabora Basin, which covers the north part of the country and the area between the escarpment and the Zambezi River. Remember we also share this basin with Mozambique, which has also discovered oil."
Investec Energy Resources' Mr Scott Macmillan said the oil reserves — if confirmed — could turn around Zimbabwe's economy. He said the subject would feature prominently at the Mining Indaba scheduled for Harare next week.
"The resources could potentially provide the country with a significant new revenue base and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, be utilised as feedstock for gas-fired power turbines and bring about a solution to the perennial power shortages as well as provide energy security for the country.
Source: Oil reserves 'discovered' in Zimbabwe - Bulawayo News 23 (28/09/14)

Courts uphold stay of execution against mining in Lower Zambezi Natonal Park

The Lusaka High Court has upheld the stay of execution granted to six environmental organisations against Government’s decision to allow the opening of a mining project in the Lower Zambezi National Park. This means that the Kangaluwi mining project will not commence until the final determination of the appeal to the court. The organisations are challenging the Government’s decision on grounds that it was wrong in law and fact because it posed a danger on many people’s lives.

Judge Mubanga Kondolo said that if he lifted the stay of execution which was granted to the organisations on February 18, 2014, their appeal against the Ministry of Mines, to allow the commencement of large scale mining in the national park would become nugatory and rendered academic.

Mr Justice Kondolo said there was no need for the organisations to specify or prove exactly how they were affected by the project as was argued by attorney general Mumba Malila because the consequences of damage could affect anyone. “I shall not pronounce myself on the rest of the arguments of the parties save to state that a damage to the environment is a matter of public concern and interest which affects all people born and unborn. For this reason I find that the appellants do not need to specify or prove exactly how they are affected by the subject project” Mr Justice Kondolo said

Mr Justice Kondolo further said that the stay of execution granted against the minister’s decision would not amount to an injunction against the State because it was not civil proceedings as contemplated by section 16 (2) of the State Proceedings Act.

Source: Anti-Mining in Lower Zambezi group gets victory against Government in Court - The Lusaka Times (7 April 2014)

More mining madness?

Map showing the China Africa Sunlight Energy mining concession. (Halfway House, on the main Victoria Falls-Bulawayo road, is located roughly in the centre of the map).

Concerns are being raised over the activities of mining company China Africa Sunlight Energy in the wildlife rich Gwayi Conservancy, bordering Hwange National Park, in Matabeleland North province. The company is accused of leaving a behind trail of environmental destruction.

China Africa Sunlight Energy, a 50/50 joint venture between Zimbabwe’s Old Stone Investments and Shandong Taishan Sunlight of China, plans to spend $2.1 billion in the next five years on power generation, coal mining and methane bed gas extraction in Matabeleland north.

The firm is one of the 20 companies controversially issued with special grants to explore and extract coal-bed methane gas in the area and has already completed an initial Environmental Impact Assessment.

China Africa Sunlight Energy says it will complete its coal mine and a 300 megawatt power station at its Gwayi concessions by 2016. The company’s deputy general manager Charles Mugari said as part of the first phase of the project the company will build a modern residential complex for 2,000 workers, a coal mine and power plant. “By 2016 we hope that the mine will be up and running,” he said.

He said second phase of the power project will focus on methane gas extraction and another 300MW plant to be completed in mid-2017. The company intends to establish another 400MW plant powered by methane gas. “We have embarked on a very comprehensive exploration process and by end of this year we will know exactly the minable reserves of methane gas,” he said.

Mugari said the projects, which would be carried out on 100,000 hectares of land would create 4,500 jobs in the next two years. The company is also planning to build hotels and business complexes. “This is going to be the beginning of the creation of an economic zone which will attract more foreign direct investment,” he said.

China Africa will also establish a coking plant for coal required in processing of steel.

“We have also completed our environment impact assessment for the mine and right now we are working on the EIA for the power generation and the documents are with the Environment Management Agency,” he said. The company is also working with the water ministry to assist in the construction of the Gwayi-Shangani dam which it seeks to benefit from.

Recently another company, Shangani Energy Exploration (SEE), said it has plans for $780 million gas project and build a 400 megawatt power station in the same area.

According to the Hwange/Gwayi Conservation and Tourism Association (HGCTA) and Gwayi Intensive Conservation Area, the Chinese's exploring activities have caused water aquifer bursts and massive pollution of rivers in the area. "Before the commencement of the actual mining, the exploration process has already caused serious environmental damages. As I speak water is oozing from the ground at eight aquifers which have exploded because of drillings. The most affected are Chimwara and Good Luck farms," said Langton Masunda the chairperson of HGCTA who is also a safari operator in the conservancy in an interview with New Zimbabwe.com.

Mark Russell, the chairman of Gwayi-ICA, said his association and other stakeholders were side-lined from the assessment process. "We are actually shocked that EMA gave this project a thumps up without our input. Gwayi ICA is the custodian of the land but surprisingly our members who have been affected by the exploration activities were ignored," said Russell.

Masunda said the area which the company wants to mine is a buffer zone for Hwange National Park and any mining activity would also have drastic effects on wildlife farming in the area. "After a proper analysis, we have established that there is greater value in preserving the area as it is rather than allocating it for coal mining activities," said Masunda.

China Africa Sunlight Energy managing director, Retired Colonel Charles Mugari dismissed the concerns insisting the mining project would bring foreign direct investment of $2,1 billion in four years and create up to 4,500 jobs. "This project will bring national benefits such as power generation, chemical and brick moulding plants. Only people who are not doing anything on their farms are most vocal about in opposing this project," said Mugari.

Sources: Chinese firm wreaks havoc in Gwayi, New Zimbabwe (20/03/14)
China Africa develops mine, 300MW power plant, New Zimbabwe (15/03/14)

Minister gives green light for Kangaluwi Copper Project in Lower Zambezi National Park

From: The Zambezi Traveller
Date: 26 Jan 2014

Zambezi Resources Ltd announced recently that Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister Larry Kalaba has overturned the Zambia Environmental Management Agency’s rejection of its Environmental Impact Study and given the green light for Zambezi Resources Ltd to proceed with the Kangaluwi Copper Project in Zambia. The Park was being considered as a potential World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Full story here (external link)

Botswana accused of allowing fracking in national parks

Source: LA Times
Date: 3 Dec 2013

The government of Botswana has quietly allowed international companies to explore for natural gas in some of the country's most sensitive national parks using the controversial drilling method of hydraulic fracturing, according to a new documentary released in South Africa.

American filmmaker Jeffrey Barbee obtained a government map that appears to show that authorities in Botswana allocated vast exploration concessions in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park and Chobe National Park without a public debate about the possible environmental and health consequences.

After initially denying the claim, Botswana’s government last week admitted that some hydraulic fracturing -- known as fracking -- had taken place during coal-bed methane exploration.

“There are currently no fracking operations going on in the country except exploration drilling by various exploration companies,” the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources said in statement.

Government spokesman Jeff Ramsay said prospecting licenses had been granted in many parts of Botswana, including in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, but did not elaborate. He acknowledged that fracking had occurred in some areas in the past, but offered no details about when or where. He said authorities were adhering to environmental regulations.

Botswana runs Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park jointly with South Africa, but a spokesman for that country's environment department had no knowledge of exploration concessions in the park.

Among the companies granted concessions are South African energy giant Sasol, whose spokesman told Barbee that the company was not required by Botswana to produce an environmental management plan, although it considers the practice worthwhile. Other companies include Anglo American, Tlou Energy, Exxaro, Kalahari Energy and Tamboran Resources.

Fracking involves shooting water infused with sand and chemicals at high pressure into coal beds or shale formations to unlock reservoirs of natural gas. The practice is the subject of intense debate in the United States and elsewhere, with activists citing methane leaks from gas well heads and possible contamination of the air and groundwater.

Barbee's film, “The High Cost of Cheap Gas,” contends that natural gas extraction is “dirtier than the industry will admit.”

But for Southern African countries struggling to provide adequate affordable electricity to their populations, promises from energy companies of jobs, hefty returns and reduced dependence on coal-fired electricity are galvanizing. Botswana imports half its energy from neighboring countries.

“This [film] is for the people across the region to know what this industry might entail, so that they can take the best decision,” said Richard Lee, a spokesman for the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, a governance group that funded Barbee's project.

Excerpts from the film were screened Sunday night on South Africa's popular investigative news program, Carte Blanche.

Barbee, who now lives in Johannesburg, was exposed to fracking in his home county of Garfield, Colo. He said some of those who once supported fracking there now wish it had never come to Garfield.

When energy companies proposed fracking in Southern Africa, he decided to make a film -- a kind of letter from Garfield, one of America’s most intensively fracked areas, to southern Africans.

“Where I come from in Garfield, Colo., the gas industry came into the area with very little fanfare," Barbee said in an interview Thursday. "Fifteen years later, we are left with an environmental problem in our valley so huge that we don’t yet understand what has been harmed and what has been lost.”

Barbee spoke to activists in Garfield and elsewhere and also interviewed experts from the University of Colorado who cast doubt on assertions of how clean natural gas extraction is, because of emissions and leaks from well heads.

A 2012 Colorado School of Public Health report cited “acute and chronic health problems for those living near natural gas drilling sites.” The study focused on toxic emissions in Garfield County from 2008 to 2010. Drilling in Botswana's national parks, where tens of thousands of elephants roam, is causing particular concern.

Barbee interviewed Botswana farmer Ben Moller, who said the elephants depend on clean water from bore holes along their migration route.

“These elephants bank on these bore holes. If it happens that these bore holes get contaminated, it will be a huge disaster for the elephants,” Moller said in the film.

Coal-bed methane extraction requires pumping large amounts of water out of the ground. The water can be clean, but can also be highly saline or radioactive, according to studies cited by the film.

Minister dismisses petition against UNWTO assembly

Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Minister, Wylbur Simuusa, has dismissed a petition by environmentalists led by Ian Manning that called for a boycott of the UNWTO General Assembly, calling it false and unpatriotic.

Manning has circulated the document to members of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), urging them to boycott the General Assembly to be co-hosted by Zambia and Zimbabwe this August (See blog post here). Manning claimed, among other things, that the government intended to allow mining activities in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

"Some of the allegations made in this petition are unfortunately not true. Firstly, the proposed copper mine in the Lower Zambezi National Park was rejected by the Zambia Environmental Agency (ZEMA) and is in the process of being appealed. The petition suggests that there is a statutory limit on the period in which judgment should be delivered," he said on Tuesday. "This is not so, there is no statutory limit and a more careful process is underway to determine whether this decision to preserve the eco-tourism potential of the valley will at the same time be releasing some of the wealth trapped underground in Zambia for the benefit of its extremely poor population. It is not true that the minister in charge of the environment or indeed the Zambian government has failed to make a decision on the issue."

Simuusa said while government admitted that two fundamental requirements were overlooked when a large-scale mining licence was issued to the developers of the proposed mine, the issue was being addressed. "One appeal meeting has been held and another one is scheduled following further submissions made. Everyone can rest assured that there will be no shortcuts and no compromise with environmental standards whether the mine goes ahead or not," Simuusa said. "The petition also alleges that the tar road is being built through the Lower Zambezi National Park minus the environmental impact having been properly evaluated. This is totally untrue. Extreme care has been exercised with the 8000 kilometres of the new roads planned in the Link Zambia programme."

He said the government was encouraging debate on how to handle the conflict between conservation and exploitation of natural resources. "Can mining and management of a game reserve be done at the same time in the same place? As pressure increases for the exploitation and extraction of minerals and other resources, as a nation we need to settle this question, especially that the conflict exists not only in the Lower Zambezi National Park but in other protected areas of Zambia where there are abundant minerals and other resources," said Simuusa. "The Zambian government is at a loss to understand the boycotting of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Conference, which will have a beneficial effect on the management of our superb wildlife and natural resources. We will urge everyone not to sign the petition because it seeks to cure mischiefs that do not exist."

Source: The Zambian Post, Simuusa dismisses petition against UNWTO assembly , 24 May 2013

Environmentalists petition UNWTO members to boycott assembly

Environmentalists led by Ian Manning have petitioned members of the UN World Tourism Organisation to boycott the General Assembly scheduled to take place in Victoria Falls and Livingstone - if Zambia allows mining activities in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

According to the petition that has been sent the 154 UNWTO member countries and posted online at www.change.org (external link), the UNWTO and its partners, including Zambia and Zimbabwe, must abide by the UNWTO Code of Ethics that recognise ecotourism as key in the fight against poverty.

The petition accuses the government of failing to uphold the rejection of th open-pit mining project in the Lower Zambezi National Park by the Zambian Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA).

"Its Minister is failing to make a decision on the appeal made in November 2012. In addition, President Sata personally supervises the Road Development Agency, their priority being to construct a tar road through the park without any environmental or strategic oversight. As the miners - Australia's Zambezi Resources Limited - have made clear, President Sata and his senior ministers support the project," read excerpts of the draft petition.

"Therefore, the only reason for the Minister not upholding the appeal by the miners within the statutory two weeks is to save Presidents Sata from being embarrassed at the Victoria Falls and Livingstone UNWTO General Assembly meetings. In the absence of an immediate undertaking to prohibit mining in the Lower Zambezi National Park and to halt the building of a tarred highway until the normal Environmental Impact Statement procedures are followed, I call on member countries and affiliate members to be bound by the UNWTO global code of ethics and BOYCOTT the twentieth General Assembly."

"This document should also insist that Zambia give an immediate undertaking that no mining or unplanned and unsanctioned road programmes will be allowed in the Lower Zambezi National Park. Failure to do so will require a boycott of the August UNWTO/Zimbabwe/Zambia general assembly by member countries and affiliate members,".

It advised people to sign the petition aimed at protecting the environment and the promotion of sustainable development, stating that the Zambezi basin's massive area of primary nature was threatened by mining, hydro-electric schemes and gross infrastructural development. "While gathered on the Zambezi River at Victoria Falls and Livingstone, many members will be unaware that downstream is the mid-Zambezi wonderland of nature in which ecotourism thrives - supposedly secured by a broad array of protected areas, including a world heritage site, and with the massive support of 17 chiefs of the Zambezi Basin who in October 2008 called on their governments and SADC to ban all mining there,".

And Manning stated that the petition had created an awareness of the threat to the Lower Zambezi National Park but it has not had much effect on the Zambian Patriotic Front Government.

Source: Adapted from The Zambian Post, Conservationists petition UNWTO members to boycott assembly (17 May 2013)

Lower Zambezi National Park Mining Company to Appeal

Gill Staden of the Livingstone Weekly (28 April 2013) reports that Zambezi Resources are set to appeal against the decision by Zambia's Envrionment Agency to throw out their plans to mine within the Lower Zambezi National Park (see our previous post here).

Quoting from Mining Weekly they report:

'Zambezi Resources is looking to raise up to A$15.4-million [Australian Dollars] through an entitlement issue to complete the oxide bankable feasibility study (BFS) for its Kangaluwi copper project, in Zambia... Zambezi executive chairperson David Vilensky said that the raising would enable the company to eliminate debt and simplify its funding framework as it sought to secure the environmental-impact statement (EIS) for its Kangaluwi copper project... Vilensky said that he was confident that the company had addressed all concerns in relation to the EIS, and had been advised of Presidential and government support for the project to move ahead. "We look forward to receipt of the required EIS approval and... are focused on what needs to be done to get this company into production" he added.'

See the Livingstone Weekly blog here

Mining in Lower Zambezi Park thrown out

From the Zambezi Traveller, Issue 11, December 2012

In a landmark decision, the Zambia Environmental Management Agency has rejected mining activities in the Lower Zambezi National Park, under the Environmental Management Act of 2011. Despite the ruling, Zambezi Resources, the developers behind the proposed mining development, have lodged an appeal to the Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

Red more: Zambezi Traveller: Mining in the Park thrown out

Commotion Over Issuance Of Mining Licenses In Sanctuary

 BULAWAYO — The Conservancy and Tourism Association of Matabeleland North is up in arms against government over the granting of prospecting licenses to four coal mining companies in an area falling under the Zambezi Trans-Frontier conservancy park.

The park is a joint venture between Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Botsw-ana and Namibia.

The coal prospecting grants issued by Mines and Mining Development Minister, Obert Mpofu, also lie close to the construction site of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, and environmentalists have warned that water pollution would increase as waste from the mines is likely to flow into the reservoir.

The Environmental Management Agency has also warned of environmental dangers should full-scale mining take place: The emission of poisonous gases — carbon chloride, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, sulphur dioxide and methane gas — would contaminate the dam.

The Hwange, Gwayi and Dete Cons-ervancy and Tourism Association chairperson, Langton Masunda, this week said business would suffer as a result of government’s move to award the mining licenses without consultation with the association.

Said Masunda: “The clearing of the bush, pollution and noise produced by the heavy mining equipment will affect wildlife and this will result in low revenues earned for the country because the Hwange, Gwayi and Dete Conservancy area is the second largest in terms of revenue earned per annum after Victoria Falls.”

Wildlife in the area has already begun migrating into neighbouring Botswana as a result of the increased mining activity.

Mpofu declined to comment on the issue, saying he was in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Although the four mines are yet to fully conduct an Environmental Impact Asses-sment (EIA), they have already gone ahead with full-scale mining activities, according to Masunda.

“It is our belief that they cannot start mining unless they produce an EIA certificate and all stakeholders, local community and tourism businesspeople will have to be part of it.

“That has not happened for now and we are surprised to see some of these mines operating only with the blessing of the Mines Ministry”, said Masunda.

Earlier this year, 20 coal mining companies were given concessions to prospect and mine for coal in Matabeleland North. The Hwange region contains the country’s largest coal deposits, with estimated coal reserves lasting 1 000 years of mining.

It is also the location of the country’s largest national park and wildlife reserve.

Source: Commotion Over Issuance Of Mining Licenses In Sanctuary (14/11/11)

Zimbabwe, Zambia struggle to reclaim assets in SA

 ZIMBABWE and Zambia are struggling to reclaim legacy indivisible assets including vast mineral rights covering close to two million hectares of land in South Africa left to them by the former coloniser, Cecil John Rhodes.

Rhodes, using the British South Africa Company, (BSAC) colonised Zambia and Zimbabwe in 1888 and 1890 respectively before the two neighbours became known as Northern and Southern Rhodesia as they formed a Federation.

The Cape government awarded Rhodes’ company Bechuanaland Railway Company Limited, vast stretches of land to facilitate the construction of the railwayline in present day South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

On June 1, 1899 Bechuanaland Railway Company changed name to Rhodesia Railways Limited which managed to retain ownership of mineral rights in South Africa excluding land rights.

The mineral rights covered an area in excess of 1,7 million hectares over 523 farms and in the 1930s Rhodes sold some of his land and retained mineral rights in South Africa.

Rhodesia Railways became Zimbabwe-Zambia Pvt Ltd (Ziza) in 1990.

The Rhodes Trust left the mineral rights in equal shares to modern Zimbabwe and Zambia but the process of transferring mineral rights is not yet complete.

There are 1 660 000ha of mineral rights in North West and Northern Cape provinces in South Africa following the recent loss of 40 000ha to Aquila through a Constitutional Court judgment (CCT08/18) in South Africa.

The other indivisible assets left by the Trust include the Victoria Falls Hotel and the Victoria Falls Bridge.

There are also funds locked in the defunct Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) while Bon Accord Hotel was sold to Zambia Government and Wankie Hotel to a private investor.

Zimbabwe and Zambia jointly incorporated the Emerged Railways Properties (ERP) (PVT) LTD in 1997 to manage the indivisible assets through the Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) and National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ). Ziza is a subsidiary of ERP, whose investment and property manager’s main offices are in Victoria Falls and another in Livingstone, Zambia.

The South African Government in 2005 enacted the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act which sought to recognise that mineral resources are common heritage of all South Africans and collectively belong to all the people of South Africa under the framework of the use-it-or-lose-it/use-it-and-keep-it principle hence the ERP became incapacitated to exploit its mineral interests in the neighbouring country.

Through a Memorandum of Understanding based on this background, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa formed a company called Pan African Minerals Development Company (PMDC) to hold and exploit the mineral rights.

Each government signed a shareholder’s agreement with each holding 33,3 percent and the Zimbabwe and Zambia shares are held through ERP while those for South Africa are held by Africa Exploration Mining and Finance Corporation (AEMFC).

South Africa was mandated to provide PAMDC board chair while Zimbabwe and Zambia rotate the chief executive position.

There have been numerous problems in the operations of PAMDC which last held a Council of Ministers meeting in 2014 while South Africa resigned as board chair in 2017 creating governance challenges as no decisions can be validated without a board chair.

PAMDC faces dire financial constraints due to non-contributions by shareholders and governments while there is risk of losing more land due to legal suits, illegal exploration and mining that could lead to further losses.

The Council of Ministers held a meeting in Livingstone, Zambia on Saturday chaired by Zimbabwe’s Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Felix Mhona and his counterpart Mutotwe Kafwaya who is Zambia’s Transport and Communication Minister and are both co-chairs.

The meeting was also attended by National Railways of Zimbabwe Board chair Advocate Martin Dinha and his ZRL counterpart Dr Wala Chabula and NRZ acting general manager Mrs Restina Zinyanduko, who together with ZRL managing director Mr Christopher Musonda are ERP co-board chairpersons.

It was meant to discuss operations of ERP and status of Pan African Minerals Development Company (PMDC) so that the Ministers receive and consider reports, with a communique to be submitted to both countries’ principals.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Mhona who is a co-chair said there is a need to find a lasting solution to governance, cooperation and viability challenges which have confronted PMDC.

He pledged Government’s commitment to operations of ERP, adding that he had already engaged President Mnangagwa on the issue.

“This convocation is an eloquent testament that our two sister countries are totally dedicated to the cause of infrastructure development. We have moved together on a number of projects anchored on our shared vision of transforming our economies to upper middle-income status by 2030 and the opportunity offered by the ERP creates room for scaling up our further cooperation in areas of infrastructure.

“Through this participation let us scale up our government-to-government cooperation in infrastructure development and deepen people to people relations as these are catalysts for stronger relations between the two countries,” he said.

While the PAMDC challenges are historic, Minister Mhona said the current governments could be the generation to unlock business opportunities that lie hidden in the mineral claims

“While the complexities of unlocking value from the vast mineral resources and interest in PAMDC are apparent, we should not lose sight of the cardinal work ethic which should be invested towards finding a lasting solution to the challenges.

“The four-tier approach which is leveraged on engagement of our South African counterparts and the need to curve out a brilliant investment plan for the PAMDC should be supported by a time bound implementation matrix. Now that we have engaged as Zambia and Zimbabwe, we will use that as a springboard of our immediate future actions to unlock the value that resides in PAMDC,” added Minister Mhona.

His Zambian counterpart said there was need to move with speed.

The success of PAMDC is based on mutual and beneficial cooperation of the three countries.

The meeting resolved that a viable investment framework should immediately be adopted and implemented as a strategic turnaround strategy of PAMDC and that financial constraints emanating from non-contributions by shareholders and governments should be addressed.

It was also resolved that South Africa should appoint a chair to the PAMDC board and director to fill positions which have been vacant for a long time making it difficult to hold meetings and the board should meet quarterly while the Council of Ministers should immediately resume on an annual basis.

The two co-chair ministers should engage their South African counterparts through diplomatic protocol before June 15 and if the engagement does not yield desired results by the given timelines, the two ministers shall then seek the intervention of the two respective Presidents to engage their South African counterpart on the matter.

Source: Zimbabwe, Zambia struggle to reclaim assets in SA (10/05/2011)