dyton mupawaenda
Fungai Lupande-Mashonaland Central Bureau
Villages in Mandimu Village in Shamva South have engaged PPC Zimbabwe over failing to give back to the community after years of operations.
PPC Zimbabwe started limestone mining and established a crushing facility in the village under Ward 21 in 2018.
The community, led by their councillor, Alderman Willard Zihowa, accused PPC Zimbabwe of damaging the road while transporting their limestone.
“They have destroyed our road. They are neither rehabilitating our roads nor helping the community,” he said.
“The company is operating in our community but villagers, especially youths and women, have not benefited from employment opportunities, including general hand jobs that do not require qualifications.
“Their work involves a lot of blasting which has resulted in our houses cracking. Their employees are using bush toilets due to lack of toilets in the area they reside and at the worksite.”
Clr Zihowa said during transportation of the limestone, a lot of dust is raised, affecting the community and causing respiratory diseases.
He said the community had since decided to ask the company to suspend operations while they addressed the community’s concerns.
Responding to the issues, PPC Zimbabwe head of operations and projects, Dr Mavellas Sibanda, said they continuously strive to deliver on their purpose of empowering people so they have a better quality of life.
“We play an active social role in the upliftment of communities in which we operate to create and maximise shared value for all,” he said. “Our aim is to deliver on sustainable initiatives in the areas of education, enterprise development, infrastructure development and environmental protection.”
Dr Sibanda said as part of their corporate social responsibility, the company had invested in the upgrading and repair of roads, as well as sinking boreholes for communities in the area.
He said they had constructed houses and relocated families affected by their operations.
“This year we intend to build additional houses, to relocate other families that will be affected by the expansion of our activities in this area,” he said.
“The company has held engagements with the families. We are consulting with community leaders, other stakeholders and large businesses operating in this area to come up with long-term sustainability action plans for Shamva South.
“Our mining and crushing operations at Shamva are run by third parties under binding contracts. The provisions of these contracts include, inter alia, an ethics code of conduct.”
The contractors, said Dr Sibanda, directly and indirectly provide employment to over 50 people from the community.
Online Reporter