By JOHN SAKALA
Kapiri Mposhi Town Council has buried and closed illegal manganese mine in Chief Mukonchi’s area that was a danger to the surrounding villages and a public road.
The local villagers in Katelemuna area of Chief Mukonchi have been mining manganese illegally without the requisite permit or license for small scale mining obtained from the ministry of mines and minerals development.
The illegal miners paused a great danger to the existence of a public road leading to Chief Mukonchi as the road was almost being closed.
The local authority held sensitization meetings with the villagers encouraging to stop their illegal mining activities but they continued mining.
Under section 12 of the Mines and Minerals Development Act No. 11 of 2015 of the Laws of Zambia states that, “a person shall not explore for mineral, or carry on mining mineral processing or gold panning except under the authority of this act.”
The council therefore reminds the general public that it is an offence to mine, prospect and/or remove minerals without first obtaining a permit/license from the department of mines under the ministry of mines and minerals development.
Any person who is found carrying out these activities without the requisite permit or license will be held liable on conviction to fines and imprisonment (not exceeding seven years) under the Mines and Minerals Act Chapter 213 of the Laws of Zambia.
The local authority is therefore appealing to all those that are conducting illegal manganese and other minerals mining in the district to stop and we are further appealing to the members of the public to report any illegal mining in their areas.
This is according to a media statement posted on Kapiri Mposhi Town Council Facebook page by the Council Public Relations Officer Chris Mulaliki.
