MPs Find Acid Mine Drainage Flowing Into Deka River

Members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment, Climate and Wildlife have confirmed first-hand that large volumes of acid mine drainage are entering the Deka River in Hwange.

The Committee made the finding during a recent on-site verification tour of pollution hotspots, led by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).

The visit came after mining companies and other stakeholders had made presentations to Parliament. MPs said the tour was meant to verify on the ground what had been reported to the Committee.

Guided by EMA officials, the legislators were taken through identified sources of pollution and shown maps detailing the extent of contamination affecting the river.

What they saw, they said, was direct discharge of acid mine drainage into the environment.

EMA briefed the MPs on the points of discharge, how pollutants are spreading downstream, and the mitigation measures that operators claim to have put in place to contain pollution of the Deka River. Committee members also reviewed those interventions during the inspection.

Acid mine drainage is highly corrosive. It can lower water pH, kill aquatic life and contaminate groundwater.

For communities in Hwange, the stakes are high. The Deka River is a critical water source, supporting domestic use, livestock watering and irrigation.

Communities along the river have for years raised concern over discoloured water, dying vegetation and reduced fish stocks, which they attribute to mining waste.

“Our focus is on ensuring that mining activity does not compromise water resources or the wellbeing of communities that depend on the Deka River,” a Committee member said during the tour.

The Committee said the verification exercise will provide evidence to shape Parliament’s recommendations on environmental protection, pollution control and sustainable mining practices.

It is expected to table its findings when Parliament resumes and propose enforcement actions, including stricter monitoring, rehabilitation requirements and penalties for non-compliance.

More: NewZimbabwe.com