Joblessness Pushes Villagers into Illegal Sand Mining, 11 Arrested – Eduzim News

By A Correspondent – The arrest of at least 11 people for illegal sand abstraction in Mashonaland Central has once again highlighted the deepening economic hardships and rising unemployment pushing many Zimbabweans into informal and often illegal activities to survive.

Authorities from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), working together with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, recently apprehended the suspects during an operation in Chiweshe’s Muguse Village near Mwenje Dam and Matare Village in Manhenga, Bindura.

The suspects were issued with tickets for extracting and transporting sand from unregistered sites, EMA provincial environmental education and publicity officer Mr Maxwell Mupotsa said.

While authorities described the operation as part of efforts to curb environmental crimes, the growing number of illegal sand miners reflects broader economic pressures and limited employment opportunities across the country.

Mr Mupotsa acknowledged that illegal sand abstraction is becoming increasingly common.

“Sand abstraction should be done at registered sites designated by the local authority and must comply with an approved Environmental Management Plan from EMA,” he said.

However, the continued rise in illegal sand mining raises questions about whether government is adequately addressing the economic bottlenecks driving people into such activities.

With formal jobs scarce and construction demand rising, many residents in rural and peri-urban areas have turned to sand extraction as a source of income, despite the legal risks.

Mr Mupotsa warned that the environmental consequences of the practice are severe.

“Illegal sand abstraction accelerates land degradation and affects ecologically sensitive areas that also uphold our cultural heritage,” he said.
“In communal areas, roads, wetlands and even graveyards are increasingly coming under threat due to the growing demand for sand.”

Across Zimbabwe, sand mining has become one of the major drivers of land degradation in urban, peri-urban and rural service centres, with many operators extracting sand from undesignated sites and abandoning pits without rehabilitation.

Apart from causing soil erosion, illegal sand mining also contributes to water pollution, destruction of agricultural land, dust pollution and damage to roads and infrastructure.

Under Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007 for Environmental Impact Assessment and Ecosystem Protection, no one is allowed to excavate, remove or transport sand for commercial purposes without a licence issued by EMA.

Mr Mupotsa said authorities will continue monitoring the situation.
“Routine inspections will continue to ensure compliance and protect the environment from further degradation,” he said.

But as the crackdown continues, critics argue that enforcement alone may not solve the problem if the underlying economic crisis, rising unemployment and limited livelihood opportunities remain unaddressed.

Related