eBusiness Weekly
Martin Kadzere
Zimbabwe is facing a fresh threat of timber shortage that might force players to import after the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, issued grants to prospective miners on land gazetted for commercial timber plantations in Manicaland Province, Business Weekly can review.
It is understood that the ministry recently parcelled out “huge portions” of planted and unplanted land owned by Allied Timbers (Allied) to miners seeking to prospect for gold and diamonds and reports say their activities have already started decimating the forests.
Allied, a state owned commercial enterprise, has a 99-year lease agreement with The Forestry Commission, which owns 60 percent of commercial forest land in Zimbabwe.
It was established following the unbundling of the commission in 2003, which was meant to separate regulatory activities from commercial activities. The intention was to enable both institutions to effectively pursue their mandates, with funds from the commercial wing supposed to assist in funding the regulatory functions.
So the commercial wing gave rise to Forestry Company of Zimbabwe, later re-branded to Allied while regulatory activities were reconstituted into Forestry Commission.
The latest development has heightened fears of accelerated destruction of timber plantations at a time when vast swathes of commercial forests are being massively destroyed by some illegal gold miners and veld fires often caused by illegal settlers.
Manicaland produces the bulk of Zimbabwe’s timber requirements, but the industry is being undermined by some illegal artisanal gold mining as well as illegal settlers and recent development has potential to worsen the situation.
Mining takes precedence
In terms of the law, if a mineral is discovered on land already used for other purposes, mining takes precedence, meaning the owner of such land might be removed.
This will, however, require the consent of the owner who also has first right of exploring that land.
With regards to gazetted land, its use can’t be changed unless the President gives consent.
“The ministry (of Mines) has issued grants to some companies, including the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) and individuals on planted and unplanted land owned by Allied,” said one source with knowledge of the matter.
“This has potential of causing conflicts because while the law say mining takes precedence, there should be consent between the parties and that was not done.”
Allied chairman Itayi Ndudzo, believes the mining rights were fraudulently acquired since procedures were not followed. The company has since written to its parent Ministry (of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry) and the Ministry of Mines expressing its displeasure.
“The law says that the mineral rights of any piece of land must first be explored by those occupying the land,” said Ndudzo.
“The law also says the rights cannot be given to other part without consent of the current land owner. We have not given consent to anyone and we believe these claims were not properly obtained.
“Besides all this, gazetted land is a no go area meaning no one can alter the use of our land. The President (Mnangagwa) made it clear to us when he commissioned our plant in June last year that we are operating in gazetted land and those interested in mining can pursue mining outside gazetted forestry land.”
Growing suspicion
There is now growing suspicion that those who obtained mining rights on gazetted land might just be interested in harvesting timber, in the process depriving the state firm. Some of the trees are 20 years old, mature enough to be harvested. Sources said background checks on some of the beneficiaries have revealed lack of capacity to invest in proper mining.
“Given the controversial circumstances on how they obtained the mining rights and given that some of the beneficiaries lack capacities in all aspects to conduct mining business, it is now widely believed that these companies only want to harvest timber under the pretext of exploration of minerals,” another source revealed.
Nqobizitha Ndhlovu, the Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry told Business Weekly in an interview that he was unaware of the matter since he is on leave, but promised to look into the matter “to see how best we can handle it.”
Efforts to get a comment from Ministry of Mines and Mining Development proved fruitless this week.
Fears of environmental degradation
Environmentalists have since warned that opening up forestry land for mining activities will further undermine Zimbabwe’s timber industry, which may in future struggle to adequately supply the market following years of massive felling of trees without corresponding replanting.
“We already have a problem of illegal miners in commercial forests and the moment we allow other players to come in, this will attract more illegal activities.
“This will seriously undermine the viability of the industry going forward,” Augustine Dzvairo, a forester with a local NGO involved in afforestation programmes said.
Around the plantations, particularly in eastern Manicaland there had been an increase in people occupying land for illegal gold mining. Illegal settling has also affected local forest management practices, including fire protection, a development that has seen huge tracts of estates destroyed by wild fires.
This poses a serious threat of a possible serious timber shortage in the next decade if the industry does not embark on aggressive replanting programme to replenish the forests.
According to the industry players, the sector is estimated to have lost about 20 000 hectares in the past two years.
But the situation has significantly improved during the past two years through cooperation between regulatory bodies such as the Environmental Management Authority, Rural District Councils as well as the police.
