Top Zimbabwe official outed as illegal gold dealer

Top Zimbabwe official outed as illegal gold dealer

• 25 000 small scale miners lose claims since November

• Zim government firm takes over diamond claim

• Miners cry foul over gold seizures by RBZ

• Concerns over Zimbabwe diamonds

• 16 000 arrested in Zimbabwe diamonds rush

• Zimbabwe mines take-over at advanced stage

• Zimbabwe eases foreign mining law

• Zim, UK firm locked in diamonds war

• Falcon Gold threatens closure

• Mugabe says locals must have half of mines

• Mugabe gives nod to mine grab proposal

By Staff Reporter

A TOP government official was dramatically fingered as an illegal gold dealer moments after she showed a video to a parliamentary committee showing the effects of illegal gold mining.

Margaret Sangarwe had just finished giving evidence before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Environment when a small scale miner also called to the meeting accused her of involvement in illegal gold mining.

Sangarwe is the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

Zimbabwe Women in Mining official, Febi Jabulani, led the charge, telling MPs that Sangarwe -- who is her neighbour -- was dealing in illegal gold at the Grange Farm in Chegutu.

As Sangarwe sat stony-faced, Jabulani charged: "She knows it. When I went to her mill at her farm, there were a lot of makorokoza (illegal gold panners).

"We wanted to chase them, but she went and came back with a police vehicle that was full of makorokoza. She was there and the makorokoza wanted to attack me.

"The problem I have is that they were doing something illegal."

A visibly embarrassed Sangarwe who moments earlier had told MPs of the success of Operation Chikorokoza Chapera -- a government operation to stop illegal gold mining and boost gold deliveries -- did not respond to the damning allegations.

However after the committee meeting, Sangarwe went to Jabulani and apparently tried to "sweet talk" her, correspondents said.

She also told the small-scale miner that there had been no reason for her to
mention the incident to the committee.

During the committee hearing, Sangarwe said the video she produced had shown to committee members was shown to cabinet resulting in it launching Operation Chikorokoza Chapera.

The government official said all police stations in Zimbabwe were given an order to arrest all illegal panners.

Registered small-scale panners, however, complained that illegal panners were being left to continue but their lawful ventures were being shut.

Over 28 000 gold panners have been arrested in recent weeks.

The small scale panners said the police and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe officials were now engaged in the illegal gold dealings, pointing out that since the launch of the operation, gold deliveries to Fidelity had not improved.
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com