EM : Good morning !
Cerr : Good morning!
EM : I would like thank you for the opportunity to interview you, and share with us, about your organization.
Cerr : Pleasure is all ours
EM : Going straight into business, tell us about Citizens in Environmental Rehabilitation and Reclamation.
Cerr : it's a citizens effort to curb environmental effects of mining either by restoring to previous setting or by creating new landscape that is safe for humans and animals.
EM :from your answer I heard you said "it's a citizens effort". What do you mean ?
Cerr : First of all it's not a government initiative but supports government efforts to protect it's citizens. It's not a personal organization but a community based organization, an Ubuntu kind of set up, where a child belongs to the community and a responsibility of the community, therefore funded by the community to carter for the needs of the community.
EM : Ok, since you said it's a community thing, it's our thing, pple want to know. What burdened you to start such a noble initiative.
Cerr : The priviledge of being an assistant to miners to peg mines around the country, makes me travel a lot into the remote areas and meeting people. People are not happy, especially those not interested in mining and once miners abandoned the mines and villagers are left with pits, trenches and shafts to deal with. These new landforms created by miners are death traps not only for animals but their children, so as Cerr we are there to help with ideas, crowdfund finances and correcting the mess. We also help communities bring perpetrators of the mess to accountability amicable dialogue or courts.
EM : Do you have equipment to pursue such a noble initiative
Cerr : it is our goal that the organization has to own earth moving machines on its asset register so that running costs will always be kept at minimum.
EM : Don't you feel like you are duplicating the mandate of EMA.
Cerr : EMA is a statutory body with oversight over all environmental issues from trash disposal, clean ups, mining, wet lands construction, air pollution. The scope is broad such that the agent is more emphasizing regulatory role leaving out correctional role, which isn't funded well on tight budgets.
EM : So how can communities get assistance.
Cerr : We have a website that the public can access for our contacts or come to our office address. Once we get in touch we send our people for situation assessments, they produce a report that will have recommendations that we will prepare an action plan using.
EM : Do you have a community, you have assisted and talk us though the process.
Cerr : At gudubu area, mhangura there was a community that had challenges with their animals fall into a disused pit near their village. We made an awareness video about the hazard and a nearby miner to the site, volunteered to go onsite and cover the area.
EM : Waaal, how time flies when have a constructive discussion. Thank you, for your time and wish you the best in future endeavours.
Cerr : Pleasure is all mine!
