Siltation a massive threat in Save Valley
BY TONDERAI MATONHO
THE livelihood of thousands of people residing along the Save valley
continues to be threatened by the worsening siltation of the river, the
Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association (Zela) has warned.
Zela Head of Research and Development, Shamiso Mtisi, told a Copac
Environmental Thematic review meeting in Harare last week that measures had
to be put in place to address the situation before further damage was done
to both the ecosystem and local livelihoods.
“Soil, water, air and the genetic potential of plants are almost largely
exhausted, putting livelihoods at risk,” said Mtisi, at the meeting convened
to discuss the current Copac draft constitution on how it incorporated
environmental issues.
“Environmental and ecological issues have not been adequately addressed, if
not ignored, in the Lancaster House Constitution, the legal and
heavily-patched document that Zimbabwe has largely adopted since
Independence,” said Mtisi.
Projects Manager for the Chiredzi-based Earth Healing Association, Gladman
Chibhememe, said ethanol production in Chisumbanje and diamond mining
activities in Marange were some of the major contributors of pollution for
the Save river.
He said the new constitution must address community perspectives on natural
resource conservation.
The Save valley conservancies have also been badly affected by poachers who
were targeting the wildlife, especially the rhino population which continues
to be decimated by bio-piracy activities in the South East Lowveld.