eBusiness Weekly
Business Writer
WITH the occupation of prime commercial timber plantations in Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands by some illegal settlers and gold panners escalating, eviction orders may soon be issued out to the invaders to restore normalcy, a Cabinet Minister has warned.
In recent years, settlers seeking land for farming and artisanal gold miners have invaded vast swathes of commercial timber forests with more than 20 000 hectares now expected to be under occupation, according to the timber industry.
The most affected companies are state-owned Allied Timbers Zimbabwe (ATZ) and Border Timbers in Chimanimani.
The Wattle Company, another major timber company is also affected, but on a smaller scale.
The settlers are now targeting recently harvested areas ready for replanting.
In the past years, there had been a huge mismatch between planting and harvesting, a development industry players fear might see the country running out of mature trees in the future. Pine trees normally take between 20 and 25 years to mature.
“It’s a serious cause for concern,” Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mangaliso Ndlovu, told The Sunday Mail Business in an interview.
“Some of the plantations are protected by the laws and settling or engaging in any other activities is illegal.”
Minister Ndlovu said Government was stepping up efforts to restore normalcy in the affected areas.
“This will involve my superiors and I will continue to get guidance from them.”
He blamed “some senior politicians,”- seeking mileage ahead of next year’s general elections–for allowing the settlers to occupy commercial timber plantations.
“Observing the law is critical and I am confident we will prevail,” said Minister Ndlovu.
While timber companies were incurring economic losses through illegal settling, it is also affecting forest management practices–from planting and harvesting to fire protection.
Darlington Duwa, chief executive of Timber Producers Federation, which represents local plantation companies, said an estimated 20 000 hectares are under occupation.
Last year, about 1 000 ha of “young plantations” were destroyed by fire and can’t be “salvaged.”
“As much as everybody is aware we still face this problem,” Duwa said in an interview.
“Even the President (Mnangagwa) gave a directive last year to have the issue resolved but there is no traction. The fires are destroying plantations and sometimes is very bad.”
President Mnangagwa is expected to commission Allied Timber’s US$12 million sawmill at the Cashel Estate on the sprawling Chimanimani mountain range in the next two months.
