Decriminalise gold possession: Stakeholders
By Talent Bonde
Stakeholders in the mining sector have called on the government to consider amending the archaic Gold Trade Act to allow effortless movement and trading of the precious mineral.
They said the current piece of regulation was hindering the unrestricted movement and trading of gold, which, in most cases, results in smuggling of the yellow metal.
Engineer Chris Murove declared the statute, enacted before independence, should have been long buried when the country attained its independence.
“[The] old Trade Act should have been long buried; it is a repressive remnant from [the] colonial era. But it still rears its ugly and dangerous character now and then.”
Murove added that government must remove the restrictive laws because Zimbabweans today have power. The authorities, according to Murove, should decriminalise the custody of gold.
“While regulation is necessary, it is the extent of the regulation which created a monopoly at Fidelity Printers and Refinery, and it is debatable.
“Even for your own gold, there will be sanctions brought upon one. If you break these regulations, you will be a criminal,” he stated.
In March 2017, a Gokwe magistrate sentenced a Kwekwe woman to five years in jail after she was found guilty of possessing 0.22 grammes of gold without a licence or permit.
Tinos Change, a miner, suggested the amendment of the Gold Trade Act was long overdue as the law needs to be revised. Tinos also decried the criminalisation of gold possession.
Zimbabwe Miners Federation CEO Mr Wellington is on record saying there was a need to decriminalise custody of gold.
“Our contribution has been to see that the government repeals or considers de-criminalisation of possession of gold and expedites the formalisation of small-scale mining activities,” he added.
Recently, Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda told the House of Assembly that there were gaps in the Gold Trade Statute that required urgent filling.
Advocate Mudenda acknowledged that small-scale prospectors are contributing significantly to the country’s economy. Therefore, the Gold Trade Law must focus on the safety and well-being of small-scale miners and decriminalise the possession of gold.
“We need to address the policy gaps in the Gold Trade Act, especially those clauses that criminalise the possession of gold and disempower the small-scale miners,” said Advocate Mudenda.
