By Agencies
Members of Parliament have piled pressure on the government to crack down on mining companies that are reluctant to fulfil their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) obligations to communities in which they operate.
In recent years, there has been growing concern about the impact of mining on local communities with many communities have complained that they are not benefiting from the wealth generated by mining companies.
Speaking in parliament during a Question and Answer session, Guruve North MP, Tendai Pindukai who inquired about government policy on CSR said there was growth in the mining sector.
“My question is directed to the Minister of Mines and Mining Development. I would like to ask what Government policy is on corporate social responsibility with regards to mining taking place around our country,” queried Pindukai.
“My understanding is that we recorded a phenomenal growth in the mining industry from 2, 7,” he added.
In response, the leader of government business in parliament, Ziyambi Ziyambi said there were no statutes which mandated mining companies to do CSR.
“We do not have a concrete legal position to say mining companies must do 1, 2, 3, 4, but it is a moral assumption to say that if you are in a community, you must be able to plough back into that community.
“Currently, we do not have a legal position to say that they must do 1, 2, 3. We attempted that, but it has since been abandoned,” said Ziyambi.
In terms of Section 13 (4) of the Constitution, the State must ensure that the local communities benefit from the resources in their areas.
