Bulawayo warns illegal gold mining hits dam inflows

Illegal gold mining is wrecking Bulawayo's water supply by trashing the riverbeds that feed its main dams.

Bulawayo's dam-supply crisis

• Rogue miners are gutting the Umzingwane catchment riverbeds.
• Umzingwane Dam sits at a measly 35% capacity.
• Nearby Mtshabezi River is completely full by comparison.
• Earth-moving gear carved a trench mid-river.

Enforcement is basically nonexistent

• A mine popped up just 3km from Criterion Water Works.
• SI 188 of 2024 bans alluvial river mining outright.
• Municipal cops and rangers lack the capacity to intervene.
• City wants the Ministry of Local Government involved.