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Prosper Ndlovu Chronicle Reporter
SEVERAL development projects are lined up for funding in Bubi District in Matabeleland North following the launch of the district Community Share Ownership Trust/Scheme (CSOT/S) on Friday. Bubi constituency MP Cde Clifford Sibanda officially launched the empowerment scheme at Inyathi growth point at a function that was attended by Chief Mtshane Khumalo, Senator Medeline Bhebhe, Bubi Rural District Council chief executive officer Patson Mlilo, Provincial Youth Development Officer Buthumuzi Ngwenya, village heads and pupils.
Five qualifying mining firms operating in the district – Casmyn, Duration Gold, Imviga, Isabella and small scale miners – pledged to inject up to $4 million seed capital to bankroll community development.
Two primary schools — Mvundla (Ward 12) and Sishawe (Ward 17) – have been allocated $15,000 each for completion of classroom blocks while $4,000 has been allocated to Esiphikini Secondary for the purchase of school furniture.
Battlefields Clinic in Ward 13 has been allocated $15,000 for renovation and purchasing of requisite equipment. Part of the money has also been used to buy wheelchairs for seven disabled villagers from different wards.
Cde Sibanda presented the wheelchairs to beneficiaries during the event.
Four youth groups – Mashava Poultry (Ward 11), Progress Poultry (Ward 3), Moyoz Tuckshop (Ward 8) and Step Ahead Garment Making from Ward 2 – received $500 capital each under a revolving fund.
Four women’s groups – Asiqoqaneni (Ward 80), Siyathuthuka (Ward 12), Sizalobuhle (Ward 18) and Simunye Poultry from Ward 15 — also got $500 each.
Projects by people living with disabilities —Gugulethu, Siphilile, Sizamimpilo, Siyatotoba Poultry, Makubongwe Poultry, Zenzeleni Poultry and Durban support groups — got $500 each.
In his address Cde Sibanda challenged the participating mining firms to fulfil their pledges as required by the law.
“Mining firms should take this programme seriously, as a sense of responsibility to the community. We can’t continue begging them to release the money for exploiting our natural resources because there is a law,” said Cde Sibanda.
“The government put the law but some have a tendency of resisting hence the need to enforce it. Duration Gold pledged $1 million but hasn’t paid anything, not even $20,000. The needs of this district are so many and mines should contribute to the community from where they benefit. Stop dilly-dallying and meet your mandate.”
Local communities are entitled to 10 percent of shares in mining operations in their areas as provided for in the indigenisation regulations.
Friday’s commissioning of the Bubi Community Share Ownership Trust/Scheme follows the successful launch of the Matabeleland North provincial scheme by President Mugabe in Hwange in 2012 where mining firms pledged to avail more than $10 million for community development.
Chief Mtshane, who chairs the Bubi trust, reported that they have so far received $67,000 from Casmyn and $3,000 from small scale miners.
He said Casmyn has pledged to release more money on a quarterly basis.
“The money is still little but we thought we should start doing something. We’ve engaged the 23 councillors and organised groups to submit their development needs and projects,” he said.
“As a trust we’ll make follow ups on these companies to get all the money they pledged.”
Ngwenya warned mining firms that have not met their pledges to do so quickly to avoid punishment by the law.
He urged groups that benefited from the revolving fund to pay back the monies for the trust to extend help to other beneficiaries.
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