BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has issued a stern warning against a proposed mining project in Hwange National Park, citing catastrophic consequences for the park’s ecosystem and wildlife.

In a press statement released today, ZimParks urged the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to cancel the application for exclusive prospecting of mining activities in the Sinamatella Black Rhino Intensive Protection Zone.

The zone is a critical habitat for the critically endangered black rhino, listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) Appendix 1.

“The proposed mining project poses a significant threat to the survival of our black rhino population,” said a ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo. “It will increase the risk of species extinction and negatively impact population recovery efforts.”

ZimParks also expressed concerns over the potential environmental degradation, including land, air, and noise pollution, which would disrupt wildlife movement and visitor experiences.

“Hwange National Park is home to Africa’s second-largest elephant population, and mining activities may interfere with groundwater flow, threatening vital water sources,” Farawo added.

The park is also home to the Bumbusi ruins, a historical and cultural site of significance to the Nambian-speaking communities.

Traditional leaders from the region visit the area annually to conduct cultural rituals and rain-making ceremonies.

ZimParks has vowed to continue advocating for the safeguarding of critical wildlife habitats and upholding its commitment to conservation for the benefit of all Zimbabweans and future generations.

The authority has called on the government to prioritize conservation efforts and reject the mining application, citing the long-term benefits of preserving the park’s ecosystem and wildlife.

As the fate of Hwange National Park hangs in the balance, conservationists, tourists, and local communities wait with bated breath for the government’s decision.

BY LINDA MUJURU

At Mbare marketplace, a major trading hub in Zimbabwe, plastic bags are everywhere. Vendors stack them at the ready for customers, who tote their purchases home and often discard the bags after a single use. Many of these plastic bags are either imported from China or sold by local Chinese companies, and fail to meet Zimbabwe’s standards for plastic packaging.

“We know this type of plastic isn’t allowed, but we sell it anyway. It’s cheaper, and there is a huge demand for it in the market,” says Tichaona, a local plastic bag vendor who sources his bags from a Chinese company in Harare. He provided only his first name for fear of arrest.

In some cases, plastic bag buyers don’t even know that the bags are thinner than is legal, says one employee at Colour Maximal, a Chinese-owned plastic manufacturing company in Harare, who asked Global Press Journal to protect his identity for fear of losing his job.

“We know what the quality should be, but we never produce it,” he says. “Customers are told these plastics meet the 30-micron requirement, but that’s simply not true.”

Zimbabwean law bans the production and distribution of plastic packaging thinner than 30 microns (a unit of measurement to describe plastic thickness), except for bread packaging, which must measure at least 25 microns. However, the country faces an influx of inexpensive plastic imports from China, coupled with a rise in Chinese-owned manufacturing firms, which now dominate the plastic industry.

Many of these importers and manufacturers exploit weak law enforcement to produce plastics that measure lower than the standard, exacerbating a pollution crisis that’s already critical.

“[They] don’t care about quality. Their products are cheaper. People can just walk in and buy in bulk,” says Donald Marumbwe, who has worked in the plastic manufacturing industry for over 30 years.

Global Press Journal collected samples from Colour Maximal and independently tested them. All samples were thinner than the required 30 microns. Some bags measured were just 20 microns.

Global Press Journal also measured bread bags from Mbare marketplace, which, according to the regulations, should range between 25 to 30 microns. Some of those bags measured as thin as 6 microns.

Thin plastic bags, often used just once, can take thousands of years to decompose, turning into harmful microplastics that threaten wildlife and enter the human food chain. Thicker plastic is likely to be reused and recycled, reducing environmental impact.

But thin plastic is cheaper to make, says Tatenda Murwira, a manager at Colour Maximal. It’s the reason his employer manufactures this kind of plastic, despite the law. “We’re profit-oriented,” he says. “It’s all about saving materials and keeping prices competitive.”

In the end, it’s Zimbabweans who suffer. A significant portion of plastic waste — approximately 18% of the country’s total waste — isn’t disposed of properly. It has clogged rivers, littered streets, and, worse, been linked to deadly flash floods and animal deaths due to ingestion. Since 2010, plastics, both locally produced and imported, have caused the deaths of about 5,000 animals.

Amkela Sidange, the environmental education and publicity manager at Zimbabwe’s Environmental Management Agency, says they conduct routine inspections to prevent the manufacturing and distribution of plastic that doesn’t meet requirements. Those caught violating the law face fines that could reach 500 United States dollars.

But Murwira, the manager at Colour Maximal, says that while officials from the environment agency have visited the company, which has been operating for more than a decade, they’ve never inspected the factory. “They never check the quality of our products,” he says.

Once the packaging gets into the market, it’s hard to trace back to the manufacturer. “[The companies] don’t put their names on the packages because they don’t want it traced back to them,” Marumbwe says.

None of the plastic bags Global Press Journal examined at Mbare marketplace had a manufacturer’s name on them.

Although South Africa is the main supplier of materials used to produce most of the plastic packaging circulating in the country, these imports are on the decline while imports from China are on the rise. In 2012, Zimbabwe imported 10.9 million dollars’ worth of plastic raw materials from China. By 2023, that number had increased fivefold to 54.8 million dollars, according to data from Trade Economics.

“We’re profit-oriented. It’s all about saving materials and keeping prices competitive.”

Tatenda Murwira, a manager at Colour Maximal

China is also a major player in Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector, largely thanks to former President Robert Mugabe’s push to strengthen ties with East Asian countries. Mugabe famously described China as “our second home, a part of us” in 2006. By 2015, China was Zimbabwe’s biggest foreign investor, and its hold over key sectors, including mining and manufacturing, has grown.

The investment has promoted growth, but it’s also come with challenges, including environmental degradation.

Chinese-owned companies’ disregard for regulation is indicative of a larger problem, says Gift Mugano, a professor of economics at the Durban University of Technology, in South Africa.

“They are in bed with the politicians. [The] Chinese work with people in high offices, so they’re kind of covered, and they don’t respect the environmental laws,” Mugano says.

It’s a widespread problem in Africa, where dependency on such investors is common, he says. In Zimbabwe, the situation is even worse because the country is mired in debt, which makes it susceptible to influence from one of its primary investors.

“[It’s] a new wave of neo-colonialism,” Mugano adds.

Zimbabwe has made several attempts to address its plastic problem, including a 20% tax on plastic bags, which went into effect in January. But companies routinely dodge that tax, just as they’ve avoided the plastic bag regulations, says the ColourMaximal employee who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“At the end of 2024, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority representatives visited our offices, threatening to shut us down for nonpayment of taxes,” he says.

Murwira, the manager, says Colour Maximal is fully tax compliant.

Global Press Journal visited a plastic-packaging production company formally registered as Liwei Wang but currently trading as Multiple Star. Upon inquiry, factory representatives said that their plastic bags measured only 20 microns, short of the standard.

On display at the site was an expired 2024 tax clearance certificate.

Global Press is an award-winning international news publication with more than 40 independent newsrooms in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The scourge of drugs and substance abuse is tearing families apart in the city of Victoria Falls as young people resort to dangerous substances to cope with mounting economic problems.

Victoria Falls, like most urban areas in Zimbabwe, is battling against a surge in cases of drugs and substance abuse, which has seen the government launching various programmes to curb the crisis.

Eslina Sibanda, a Mkhosana resident whose son was forced to drop out of college due to drug addiction, narrated her heart-rending ordeal in an interview with NewsHub.

“He was a bright student, but then he started experimenting with mbanje and other substances,” Sibanda said.

“Before we knew it, he was hooked. We tried to get him help, but it was too late.

“He dropped out of college and he now struggles to find a job.”

According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, approximately 750 000 people in Zimbabwe use cannabis, while 150 000 use other illicit drugs.

The same report noted that 14.6 percent of males and 5.6 percent of females aged between 15 and 65 years engage in hazardous or harmful drinking.

In a dramatic event that gripped Victoria Falls last November, 82 year-old Paul Siangapi was forced to take his son, Wonder, to court after he attempted to stab a family member in a drug-fuelled rage.

Siangapi pleaded with the magistrate to send his 40year-old son to jail for years, saying after the death of his mother, almost a decade ago, he started smoking cannabis (mbanje) and abusing alcohol.

He said Wonder became abusive even to his grandchildren as a result of drug abuse.

The magistrate subsequently ruled that he must be referred to the Mlondolozi Mental Health Prison in Bulawayo where he is being treated for his addiction together with seven others from Victoria Falls who were facing charges of committing offences under the influence of drugs.

Siangapi told News Hub from his Chinotimba home that his life had become hell on earth because of his son’s drugs problem.

“He is ok there (in prison),” Siangapi said. “I was always running away from him. He would lock the gate, deprive me of food and, at times, l would sleep in the car outside the gate because of him.”

On 18 February, Information minister, Jenfan Muswere, said the police had arrested 9, 527  people and dismantled 79 illegal drug bases as part of a countrywide crackdown on drug and substance abuse between 1 September 2024 and 31 January 2025.

Muswere told a post-Cabinet briefing that 616 drug suppliers and 8 911 drug users had been arrested during the operation.

The government has also established three new rehabilitation centres for drug addicts in Victoria Falls, Harare and Kwekwe.

The ministry of Health and Child Care notes that substance abuse is a major contributor to mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and psychosis.

Mental health experts say a combination of factors that include poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to education and healthcare drive young people into drugs and substance abuse.

“Young people are turning to substances as a way to cope with the stress and uncertainty of their lives,” said Silvester Nyoni, a local psychologist. “We need to address the root causes of this crisis, rather than just treating the symptoms.”

Rufaro Nyakwende, a social worker at the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network, said the impact of substance abuse was far-reaching as affected not only individuals, but also families, communities, and the economy.

“Substance abuse is leading to tracking substance use,” Nyakwende said.

“At the end of the day, people have mental issues such as depression, anxiety, and this leads to interest in another driver of tracking substance use, which is peer pressure. A lot of children experience peer pressure through interactions, observation, learning, and playing.

“People may admire the effects of someone using drugs and end up using those drugs themselves. This is another driver of tracking substance use. When they continue using drugs, it also leads to mental health issues like depression, stress, anxiety, and this is what leads to a high risk of suicide,” added Nyakwende.

She said the community also exerts too much pressure on young people.

“There’s also the issue of social pressures. The community expects certain things from people,” Nyakwende added.

“For instance, by a certain age, you’re expected to have achieved certain milestones, such as having a proper job and a family.

“But when you fail to meet these expectations, it can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem, which can contribute to higher rates of suicide.”

The government launched the National Substance Abuse Policy in 2020 as one of the ways to deal with the scourge.

For Nyoni, however, more needs to be done to provide support and resources for those struggling with addiction.

“We need to increase funding for treatment centres, counselling services, and support groups,” he said.

“We also need to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse and provide education and job training programs for young people.”

SOURCE: NEWS HUB