By Fanuel Chinowaita
Premier South, Mutasa South – A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday to mark the commencement of a footbridge construction project that will link Premier South and Premier Central.
The development has been hailed as a milestone in local infrastructure rehabilitation and environmental restoration, especially in areas affected by destructive alluvial gold mining.
The event was officiated by the Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, who emphasized the project’s significance and its long-awaited implementation.
“It’s a special day. The issue of the bridge, which we are doing a groundbreaking for today, was giving me sleepless nights since 2017,” said Minister Mugadza. “People can unite with NGOs, investors and the community to come up with something good. We called the miners who destroyed the riverbeds and asked them to help complete Phase 1 together.”
The $30,000 bridge project is part of a broader $123,000 initiative aimed at rehabilitating infrastructure in Mutasa South that was damaged by illegal alluvial mining. Construction is set to begin this Monday, with the Zimbabwe National Army leading the building efforts.
The broader initiative will unfold in three phases: Phase 1 focuses on infrastructure rehabilitation and riverbed restoration, Phase 2 will address environmental management, and Phase 3 proposes formalized gold extraction followed by the construction of dams and irrigation systems to support agriculture.
“We want to remove all the gold because if it is not removed, we will spend our lives chasing each other away,” Minister Mugadza added. “The government and our children who are mining today will mine that gold. We will then construct dams and establish irrigation projects to create a greenbelt in this area.”
The new footbridge is expected to significantly improve mobility between the two communities, enhancing access to schools, clinics, and markets for residents who currently struggle to cross swollen rivers, especially during the rainy season.
One of the key highlights of the event was the acknowledgment of local miners who contributed money toward the bridge construction as a gesture of responsibility and community partnership.
Fungayi Mupangure, Director of Fungdong Mining Company, expressed a deep sense of commitment to both the community and the environment. “We started our company just two weeks before the government’s ban on riverbed and riverbank mining. When we arrived, we found rivers that had already been destroyed by foreign miners who didn’t care about the long-term impact,” said Mupangure.
“As local miners, we agreed that we cannot continue like this. Our rivers are dying. Aquatic life has been endangered, and the use of cyanide and other harmful chemicals has made water unsafe for both people and animals,” he added. “We want to see free-flowing rivers again—rivers our children can play in and drink from without fear of chemicals.”
Mupangure emphasized that miners must take responsibility for the role they’ve played in damaging the environment. “We saw how mining widened the rivers, making it difficult and dangerous for people to cross. Women and children were the most affected. That’s why we decided to contribute financially to the footbridge project—it’s not charity, it’s accountability.”
He called on other miners and stakeholders to adopt a model of responsible mining that prioritizes the well-being of communities and the restoration of the environment. “We can still mine and make a living, but we must do it in a way that respects our environment and uplifts our people.”
The ceremony ended on a hopeful note, with community leaders and residents praising the collaborative spirit between government, miners, and development partners, and expressing optimism for a more sustainable and united future in Mutasa South.