Magomba Mine’s E200 000 to empower 120 women
SITEKI – Magomba Coal Mine has set aside a budget of E200 000 towards empowering 120 women from two chiefdoms with skills for producing cleaning products.
The beneficiaries of this noble project are from KaLanga and Malindza communities.
The mine Director, James Mathebula, said there is a company trading as Vera, which would be conducting the training of the identified 60 women under KaLanga Umphakatsi. The same number of women has already been trained at Malindza Chiefdom.
Products
The director disclosed that one of the trainees has expressed gratitude to the company for empowering her with the essential skills of producing polish, liquid soap and other cleaning products.
He stated that the woman shared that she had won a tender to manufacture cleaning products for a school situated under Dvokodvweni Constituency.
“It is important that we prioritise the improvement of the livelihoods of women in the communities. We spent E100 000 towards training the 60 women of Malindza and will also spend the same amount for the KaLanga beneficiaries. We hope the inner council will identify the women to be trained by Vera any time from now,” he said. Lugongolweni Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Souza expressed his excitement about the empowerment of women with skills to improve their livelihoods. Souza encouraged the women to join hands in accessing financial support from the Regional Development Fund (RDF), after they have become skilled in the production of cleaning products.
“We are excited that a considerable number of women will be equipped with skills that will give them the technical know-how of producing cleaning products for sale. This is a great opportunity for women and those who would be left out of this venture should come and apply for the RDF, so that they can start their income-generating projects,” he said.
Mathebula spoke about the project following their introduction to KaLanga Chief Jozane Maziya and the community members by the Minerals Management Board member, Sam Ntshalintshali. Mathebula was accompanied by one of the company’s directors, Brian Figuerado. The company disclosed that it has invested E500 million towards the project, which is projected to create about 1 000 job opportunities for the people of both Malindza and KaLanga communities.
The project covers about 600 hectares of land that stretches from Malindza towards the KaLanga community.
Mathebula said the company was waiting for the environmental licence before it could commence mining.
When introducing the directors, Ntshalintshali told Chief Jozane that the Board was yet to furnish him with the map of the boundary line of the project.
Lubombo Regional Administration (RA) Themba Msibi lauded the chief for his passion for seeing the people of KaLanga benefit from any project under his chiefdom. In his remarks, the chief welcomed the investors and thanked His Majesty King Mswati III for his vision of creating job opportunities for emaSwati through the opening of coal mines in the Lubombo Region.
Urged
Maziya urged his subjects to individually and in groups brainstorm business ideas that would benefit them when the mine starts its operations. The senator said his doors were always open to welcome everyone who sought help and support.
“Let me say Bayethe Wena Waphakathi! The mine will not only contribute to the growth of the economy but also play a role in the improvement of the lives of emaSwati. I am optimistic that people of KaLanga will grab this opportunity with both hands and run with it, to ensure that they benefit through jobs and business ventures,” he said. The chief slaughtered a cow for the investors in appreciation of the role they played in bringing job opportunities to the community of KaLanga.