en.Wedoany.com Reported - Small-scale miners in Zimbabwe's Silobela area are set to benefit from a comprehensive health, safety, and environment blueprint, as local MP Jona Nyevera spearheads efforts to combat silicosis and consolidate responsible mining practices, aligning with President Mnangagwa's vision.
Nyevera, who also serves as a member of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development, announced plans to collaborate with local hospitals on silicosis research. Silicosis, a debilitating lung disease caused by prolonged inhalation of silica dust, has silently affected numerous artisanal and small-scale miners across the country.
The Silobela MP stated that the research will lay the groundwork for tailored health interventions specific to the unique conditions of small-scale gold mining operations. He said miners are slowly dying from daily dust inhalation, and this issue can no longer be ignored. The findings will guide how to protect miners.
Nyevera further revealed plans for a constituency-wide awareness campaign from mid-June to early July, focusing on silicosis prevention, occupational safety, health standards, and environmental management, starting in Silobela before rolling out nationwide. He noted that safety, health, and environment (SHE) issues have long been treated as an afterthought, but this will change from now on.
The campaign will also incorporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. Nyevera argued that ESG is not only applicable to large mines; if small-scale miners wish to sell gold at fair value and attract responsible investors, they must also meet global standards.
Nyevera declared that Silobela will be the first to demonstrate how small-scale miners can become advocates for responsible mining under President Mnangagwa's slogan "Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo (Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo, meaning 'The land is built by its owners')." He said he hopes to create a practical, localized blueprint showing how small-scale miners can operate safely, healthily, and sustainably, and then expand this model to every gold-producing region in Zimbabwe.
Nyevera noted that the recent government policy reserving the small-scale gold sector for Zimbabwean citizens has created a favorable environment. The next step is for miners to take responsibility for their own well-being and community development. He said the President has provided room for growth, and miners need to prove they can be responsible stewards of mineral wealth, protecting health, the environment, and workers.
Nyevera outlined that the blueprint will include regular health screenings and silicosis monitoring for miners, mandatory safety training and provision of protective equipment, environmental impact awareness and mined-out area reclamation, and governance structures promoting transparency and community accountability. He stated that these measures are localized adaptations of best practices, and small-scale miners are the backbone of the gold industry.
The MP called on the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, the Ministry of Health, and local authorities to support the initiative, and urged miners in Silobela and across the country to actively participate in awareness activities and take the lead in designing the responsible mining blueprint. He appealed to miners not to wait for others to save them, but to organize, learn, and invest in their own safety.
The first awareness clinics are expected to launch in the third week of June in Silobela, with mobile teams visiting mining sites for on-site safety audits and health checks. Nyevera said the policy and political will are now in place; miners need to take the lead, starting from Silobela.
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