Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
GWANDA Small-Scale Miners Association has donated 400 bags of 10kg bags of mealie-meal to vulnerable people in the community whose number has increased during the national lockdown.
Speaking at the handover of the donation to Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs, Cde Abednico Ncube and Social Welfare Department last week, Zimbabwe Miners Federation Council secretary-general Mr Philemon Mokuele said the miners decided to mobilise resources after realising that the number of people in need was increasing.
“As small-scale miners in Gwanda, we decided to come together and mobilise resources for the vulnerable in our community. During the prevailing lockdown we have noticed that more and more people are in need of food and other supplies and they need to be assisted hence this donation.
“We contributed money and bought 400 by 10kgs of mealie-meal which we are officially handing over to the Social Welfare Department. It will be the one which will identify the beneficiaries.
“We hope to assist people both in urban and rural Gwanda with this donation. We hope to continue assisting by making more donations. As miners it’s our responsibility to assist our community,” he said.
Mr Mokuele urged miners from other parts of the province to also assist in the fight against Covid-19 and to assist the vulnerable. He said as miners they would like to extend their gratitude towards President Mnangagwa for granting them exemption during the prevailing lockdown thereby enabling them to operate.
He said even before miners were officially exempted at the start of the prevailing two weeks lockdown some small-scale miners had been issued with exemption letters during the first phase of the lockdown after they had written letters to Government.
Speaking during the same ceremony, Cde Ncube expressed gratitude towards the small-scale miners for donating.
He urged various stakeholders to also contribute towards assisting the vulnerable.
“This pandemic which we are faced with is a threat to everyone and it requires collective effort.
“We would like to thank the small-scale miners for their effort and I would like to urge other stakeholders to do likewise. The number of vulnerable people in our communities has increased during the prevailing lockdown and therefore we all have a part to play. Government has various programmes underway but any form of assistance will go a long way.
“We all have to contribute towards fighting this pandemic and assisting people who have been affected by it. People should also adhere to guidelines which have been put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19,” he said. – @DubeMatutu
Bongani Ndlovu