The Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Hon Dr Polite Kambamura, has commended mining reporters’ commitment to excellence in journalism, which is essential to national growth and progress. He was speaking at the 11th edition of the Mining Media Awards, held on Friday evening in Harare.
Dr Kambamura noted the tremendous impact that mining has on the nation’s economy and on the lives of citizens.
He emphasized that the mining sector is the backbone of the economy and a key catalyst for development and industrialization. The Deputy Minister pointed out that the industry sustains over 45,000 formal jobs and over 1.5 million other people in the informal or small-scale sector. He praised the media for reporting on pertinent issues such as ESG.
“The media fraternity, led by our patriotic journalists, continues to do a great job in marketing the mining sector as their work is incomparable. The environmental, social and governance issues are essential to the sustainability of the sector.
“At the recent Chamber of Mines conference in Victoria Falls, it was made clear and loud that ESG principles are no longer optional but imperative. Responsible mining is a cornerstone of NDS1 and companies must prioritize not profit only but also the well-being of the communities in which they operate,” he said.
“This strategy will be compulsory for all mining companies and will be a prerequisite to the issuance of mining title. This year’s theme, Building Strides in Sustainability Reporting, reflects our commitment to responsible mining. It also underscores the importance of accurate and comprehensive reporting,” he added.
Hon Kambamura said that the media serves as the eyes and ears of the public in enhancing transparency. While noting the challenges faced by journalists in accessing information, he challenged them to be more insightful in their reportage.
“Investigative journalism plays a vital role in uncovering the stories that influence policy. However, mining journalists often work under challenging conditions as access to information can be restricted. The courage and dedication of those in mining journalism deserve our highest respect, as it is for their finger, their pen and the paper that makes us who we are.
“Today we honour those who have excelled in their craft. The Mining Media Awards celebrate the diverse aspects of mining journalism across the mining sub-sectors, those that include gold, diamond, platinum, coal and gas, lithium, and other minerals. I hope next year you’ll be including oil and gas after the discovery of oil in another part of the country. Green ethics and sustainability should also come into play as another area of consideration,” he said.
Dr Kambamura urged major organizations to work in close partnerships with mining companies and government ministries, departments and agencies in fostering a symbiotic relationship.
He called for the participation of all stakeholders pointing out that next year all sectors must be represented, and as for the lithium sector, the Chinese must be present supporting the media. He concluded by expressing gratitude to all nominees and the winners. The Deputy Minister also encouraged those who did not make it to the podium to be inspired to do better and come out stronger next year.
Minex Chairman Munyaradzi Hwengwere acknowledged the great work that is being done by journalists to shape public perception of the mining operations that take place in the country as well as in bringing communities together. He pointed out that from these awards, several media personnel who used to take accolades are now working for the mining industry.
“We need to do everything that we can to shape the narrative, to look at ways in which the journalists that are here can get better and can be better informed. An informed journalist would bring the opposite, so it is in everyone’s interest to make sure that this Zimbabwe that we all say we want is a Zimbabwe that we understand and must be shaped by positive, informed, objective and professional reporting, which is why we have these Mining Media Awards,” he said.
Zimplats Head of Corporate Affairs Busi Chindove signalled that the Mining Media Awards are hosted every year not only to acknowledge outstanding reporting but to also foster a deeper understanding of the mining value chain and promote quality journalism that supports the mining industry’s growth. She pointed out that the media has the power to shape a company’s reputation as it cements the company’s legitimacy and credibility, therefore the work of journalists must not be overlooked because they play a crucial role.
“My view is that the relationship between the media and mining companies should be that of a partnership. We should view ourselves as partners, a mutually beneficial partnership as the media houses are looking for stories, while the mining houses are looking for coverage. There’s a lot that mining companies have been doing in the development of communities that people would be interested in knowing, therefore that is when the media comes in,” she said.
Chindove said that mining accounts for about 16% of the country’s gross domestic product, making it the second largest sector after agriculture at 17%. She also highlighted that at 60%, mineral exports account for the largest contribution to the country’s export earnings, with over 50,000 people employed in that industry.
She added that if we look at statistics alone from the perspective of miners, they tend to find or think that often, when mining stories are written, the ones that they would like to be published don’t often see the light of day and the ones that see the light of day are the ones where mining has done something wrong.
Various journalists from across different media houses scooped awards at the ceremony. The runner-up for the Gold Sector Best Reporter Award 2024 was Clayton Masekesa of NewsDay and the winner was Raymond Jaravaza of the Chronicle.
The runner-up for the Small-scale and Artisanal Miners Best Reporter Award was Michael Magoronga of the Chronicle and the winner was Tamuka Charakupa of ZBC. The runner-up for the Platinum Sector was James Muonwa of New Zimbabwe and the winner was Mthandazo Nyoni of Alpha Media Holdings.
Raymond Jaravaza was the runner-up for the Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability best reporter award with Tafadzwa Manengureni, a freelance journalist being the winner.
The Coal and Gas runner-up was Brenna Matendere of the NewsHawks and the winner was Tichaona Kurewa of ZBC. In the Diamond Sector, the runner-up was Clayton Masekesa of NewsDay and the winner was Ray Bande of Manica Post. The Chrome sector runner-up was Michael Magoronga of Zimpapers and the winner was Nathan Guma of NewsHawks. Lastly, the Lithium Sector runner-up was Tichaona Kurewa of ZBC and the winner was Tatenda Chitagu a freelance journalist. The overall winner for the 11th edition of the Mining Media Awards 2024 was Raymond Jaravaza of the Chronicle.
