A RECENT joint operation by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) and the police has netted 100 gold panners operating in the Umzingwane catchment area, where most of the city’s water supply dams area located.
According to BCC’s parks section monthly report, housing and community services director Dictor Khumalo reported that apart from the arrests, 125 hand tools were recovered during the operation.
“Normal patrols were being carried out in the usual areas. During these patrols, 20 illegal gold panners were arrested and handed over to the Esigodini police for prosecution,” the report read.
“This brought the total to 100 gold panners arrested in the period of January to June 2024.
“During these operations, a total of 125 hand tools were confiscated and handed over to Esigodini police as exhibits.”
The local authority also revealed that more than 30 sand poachers were issued tickets, while seven trucks were impounded for violating environmental laws.
“A total of 31 tickets were issued to various offenders. Twenty-one tickets had been paid for and a balance of 10 tickets was still outstanding,” the report further read.
“Wood poaching had escalated in May and June as a result of load-shedding, especially in the high-density suburbs.
- Bulawayo struggles to clear housing backlog
- Bulawayo struggles to clear housing backlog
- Egodini developer changes tune
- Outcry over city’s new rates, tariffs
Keep Reading
“A total of three scotch carts and four wheel barrows were impounded for flouting environmental by-laws. Surveillance patrols would be intensified in all areas reported.”
The council said it noted a sharp decline in illegal gold panning activities in Khumalo and Emhlangeni.
Meanwhile, BCC said the El Niño-induced drought has resulted in an increased number of stray animals wandering into the city.
“The subsection’s incapacitation had made it difficult to clear all stray animals in Greater Bulawayo, especially in the high-density suburbs,” the local authority said.
“The section looked forward to the next recruitment bid addressing this challenge, as per submitted requests.”
