Published: 19 July 2017

Mashonaland West's sole manufacturer of stock feed, Mr Taurai Mtisi has raised a red flag over uncontrolled mining activities close to his plant where he says he fears the operations pose a threat to his factory.

Managing director of Packzone Investments, the owners of Mashonaland West's sole stock feed manufacturing plant fear that artisanal mining activities taking place just outside the company's perimeter fence are a threat to the continued existence of the industrial unit.

Asked to explain what his real fears are, Mr Mtisi said tremors that result from blasting outside his factory affect the sensors of his state of the art plant equipment , which was installed by the Chinese.

He added that the whole structure runs the risk of collapsing as there is a possibility that artisanal miners could be carrying out activities underneath the factory.

Efforts to seek a comment from the artisanal miners were fruitless as they referred the ZBC News to one of the leaders only identified as Zobha, who unfortunately was not at the mine site when this crew visited the area.

Neither could the artisanal miners who were present provided the contact details of the so called leader Zobha.

Information at hand indicates that mining activities are taking place on an area already planned for industrial and commercial business by the Chinhoyi Municipality.
- zbc

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