Ngqwele Dube
Kuduma kuze kudabuke izindlu ngesikhathi kugejwa i-limestone ePumula koBulawayo.
Edolobheni leli, kuke kwaba lokudonselana njalo phakathi kwezakhamizi zeRichmond, Cowdray Park lenkampani ebizama ukugiga isamende duzane lendawo lapho okulahlelwa khona izibi zonke ebizwa ngokuthi yiNgozi Mine.
Konke lokhu sekutshiye abantu abanengi koBulawayo bezonde okwamagama ngokwenziwa ngamankampani emba i-limestone lokunye. Bakhona njalo abalonde udaba lokwenjiwa kwamatshe aligugu balwethula ngokugcweleyo kumabonakude.
Kuduma kuze kuzwele ebantwini abahlala ePumula abathi inkampani emba i-limestone isebenzisa amawola atshaya kuqaqambe endlebeni njalo kudilike izindlu.
Lendwangu lazo sezibaleka kwezinye indawo okwenjiwa khona amatshe aligugu. Kwesinye isikhathi lubamba nkii uthuli oluthunqa emigodini yenkampani yakwele China eyeHualin Quarry Private Limited.
Phezu kokunanzelela okwenzakala edolobheni leli, inhlanganiso yamazwe wonke eyeAccountability Lab, encedisa uzulu ukuba azilwele njalo kusetshensizwe umnotho welizwe ngemfanelo, ibambisane leyezakhamizi eyeBulawayo Progressive Residents Association bethula udaba lolu kumabonakude olulesihloko esithi: TIME Bombs :The Impact of Urban Mining on the city of Bulawayo.
Ikhansili ithi kuvele sobala kudocumentary le ukuba abantu abanengi babhekane lenhlupho ezimangalisayo ezidalwa ngamankampani alemigodi koBulawayo.
Ukhansila kaWard 28, uNtando Ndlovu, uthi umanisipala kasoze aphinde avume ukuthi kwembiwe amatshe aligugu phakathi kwedolobho njengoba kuvela ukuthi kuyingozi kubahlali.
“Sesifundile as City council we need to review ama policies ethu awokuthi imining activity ingaba ngaphi, njalo iproximity yayo ibangakanani to izakhamizi ngoba ngibona angani udubo lweHualin, we are just at the beginning khona kuzabuya okunye sisiya phambili and we are not going to have peace until size sireviewe ama policies ethu njengo City of Bulawayo.”
Uncoma kakhulu okwenziwe yizakhamizi zeCowdray Park ezizimeleyo zalela inkampani yakwele China eyeLabenmon Private Limited leyinye ukuba avule imigodi yokugaya isamende eNgozi Mine. Amankampani la acine evunyelwa yikhansili ukugaya isamende eUmvimila eduzane leUnited College of Education okungela zindlu zikazulu. Uthi kodwa kukhanya engani kulabanye abathakazelela okwenziwa ngamankampani emba i-limestone ePumula.
“The bottom line yikuthi never should we allow ama mining operations ku built up area sisiya phambili, recently bazame ukuletha isamende eCowdray Park sasi xotsha ngoba amandla asebantwini ezakhamizini. Two months ago imining company le esikhuluma ngayo yabuya isithi ifuna ukuqhela, they had incwadi ezivelakini zakhamuzi zisithi liyayifuna imining operation leyi."
Umqondisi weAccountability Lab, uMnumzana McDonald Lewanika, uthi idocumentary abasantu kuyethulela uzulu iveza udubo oluzahlala lezakhamizi okwesikhathi eside.
“Izakhamizi zikhathazekile ngokuthi yini ezaqhamuka ngaphezu kwengcekeza ezayenzwa ngokumba amatshe. Bakhathakezile ngezindlu zabo ukuthi zingadilika kuzahamba njani”
Obona ngenhlelo kuBulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association, uNkosikazi Abigail Siziba, laye uthi bafisa ukusebenzisa idocumentary le ukuthi kuhluzwe kabanzi udaba lokwemba amatshe aligugu emadolobheni.
“Izathathwa sihambe layo sixoxisana labantu kudingwa indlela yokuthi kuyini okungenziwa ukuthi to improve the situation.”
Izakhamuzi zePumula zikhala ngokudabuka kwezindlu lezambuzi, umsindo, kanye lothuli oluthunqa emigodini emba i-limestone duzane lezindlu zabo. UNkosikazi Annastasia Chikuni uthi badlela evalweni ngoba kuhlala kudutshulwa amawola emigodini le.
“Ukudubuka okwenzakalayo ePumula South kubuhlungu ngoba kuyanyikinya ama window and akula skhathi sokuthi kudubuka nini, kwesinye isikhathi kuyabe kusekuseni ngo 9 kwesinye iskhathi ngo5. Sizo bani esizaluthola thina”
Inyamazana lazo sezibaleka okulemigodi le. UMnumzana Trust Mkhwananzi uyakufakaza lokhu.
“Izindwangu sezibalekela umsindo zizohlala lathi ePumula South, very soon ziyabe sezise Pumula North ngoba kuyazalana kakhulu.”
Banengi bakhala ngothuli oluthunqa emigodini okwenjiwa i-limestone. UNkosikazi Thokozile Sibanda uthi baqanjelwa amanga ngabanikazi bemigodi le ukuthi ngeke kuqhamuke imikhuhlane enjengofuba – itubercoloisis – ngenxa yothuli olugcwele indawo yonke.
“Idust izahlala esifubeni zabantu njalo nxa sesiqalisa ukugula akula muntu ozakunika imali yokuya esibhedlela, akula ozakwelatshiswa.”
Inkampani yeHualin Quarry yona ithi isincedisa izakhamizi zePumula ngenhlelo ezehlukeneyo ukuze iyamukelwe ngabahlala kulindawo. Isikhulumeli salinkampani uMnumzana Roderick Moyo, uthi babhadala imali yabafundi abalitshumi lesitshiyangalombili - 18 ezikolo ezehlukeneyo ePumula.
“We acknowledge ezinye izinto leziyana and we have requested itown planning ukuthi isincedise uku assessor ngoba ungakhangela lapha kithi ePumula North some of the houses abe lama crack before the opening of the mine, sizama lathi ukuthi sincedise sibone where the mine can assist and support we come in and feature.
Lokhu kugcizelelwe yisakhamuzi sePumula uNkosikazi Ntando Ndiweni yena ofakaze ukuthi iHualin Quarry yavuma ukuncedisa abahlali bePumula njalo bayakwamukela ukusebenza kwalinkampani.
“Sangena kuschool fees, sangena kuJojo kwathi borehole esasiyifuna bathi iyadula sime kancane kodwa siyabonga entweni esazicelayo ngoba zenzakala. Wathatha abantwana 22 from each school from Ward 17.”
Izakhamuzi zilethemba lokuthi idocumentary ehlelwe yiAccountability Lab izanceda ekwethuleani iziqondiso zomthetho obunjwayo iMines and Minerals Bill elakho ukuvimba ukwenjiwa kwamatshe aligugu emadolobheni.
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Udaba Esilwethulelwe NguNgqwele Dube