The Mozambican government has ramped up its efforts to enforce a comprehensive suspension of mining activities in Manica province, indicating a firm stance against companies attempting to circumvent the ban through illicit artisanal methods. The move underscores the government’s commitment to transitioning to a sustainable extraction regime that prioritises environmental compliance and direct benefits for local communities.
Following a meeting of the Council of Ministers in Maputo on Tuesday, spokesperson Inocêncio Impissa confirmed the government is actively monitoring the situation. “We have noticed signs that some [mining companies] who were removed from the field are now using artisanal routes to continue controlling mining activities,” Impissa explained. He stressed, however, that the government is “informed and present on the ground, with commissions and full force,” to ensure mining only occurs within a proper legal and sustainable framework that guarantees national benefits.
The total suspension of all mining licenses in Manica, enacted on September 30, was a direct response to repeated complaints of severe river pollution and environmental degradation. An interministerial commission was promptly established to review licensing regulations, strengthen oversight, and implement environmental restoration measures. President Daniel Chapo had previously labelled the mining situation in the region an “environmental disaster” on September 17.
The government’s drastic action followed a critical report from the Defence and Security Forces (FDS), which inspected the province in July and found “uncontrolled mining” by licensed operators. The report cited companies operating without essential environmental recovery plans, lacking proper waste containment systems, and violating workers’ rights. Furthermore, it identified serious risks to national security and sovereignty, noting foreign groups involved in illegal mining, which are feeding parallel networks of gold trade, extortion, and public insecurity.
When questioned about suspicions of companies linked to Mozambican officials continuing operations despite the suspension, Impissa maintained that ownership identity is secondary to immediate enforcement. “They are removed from the area. I do not know specifically who owns the companies… When the Defence and Security Forces and the working commission arrive on site, their priority is not to identify company ownership but to take immediate action,” he asserted.
Impissa reiterated that the core priority remains ensuring compliance with environmental standards to halt the damage—specifically citing the “critical” situation where rivers have been severely polluted with “reddish, cloudy, and opaque water” due to direct ore washing and untreated waste disposal. Crucially, the government is also focused on ensuring that communities living near the extraction sites receive tangible benefits from their natural resources. “Those living in the areas where resources are extracted… must receive benefits from these resources,” Impissa concluded, reinforcing the push for local populations to be primary beneficiaries of the mining sector.
