The Manica Post

ZCDC HEIGHTENS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DRIVE

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The state diamond miner, Zimbabwe Consolidat­ed Diamond Company (ZCDC) which is conducƟng business in Chiadzwa and Chimaniman­i, has adopted a deliberate policy of engaging the community through its tradiƟonal leadership and community developmen­t representa­Ɵve trusts and other civil society groups.

Zimbabwe Consolidat­ed Diamond Company Chief ExecuƟve Officer Dr Moris Mpofu said ZCDC is part of the Manicaland community hence the need for symbioƟc co-existence with the community for mutual benefit.

“ZCDC is part of the community and as such we have adopted a deliberate policy of engaging the community through its leadership the tradiƟonal leaders and as well through civic organisaƟo­ns and other key stakeholde­rs. ZCDC is pleased with the producƟve engagement­s with all the tradiƟonal Chiefs in Marange and Chimaniman­i. Through these meeƟngs we have made needs assessment­s of their areas parƟcularl­y from a developmen­t point of view. As a result of these engagement­s ZCDC has rolled out a number of community developmen­t projects,” said Dr Mpofu.

ZCDC has deliberate­ly taken the responsibi­lity to ensure that the lives of ordinary Zimbabwean­s parƟcularl­y those from the immediate community are impacted posiƟvely from its diamond mining operaƟons.

Dr Mpofu added: “Corporate Social Responsibi­lity and environmen­t protecƟon and reclamaƟon take a pivotal role in our Diamond Mining Business Model's Sustainabi­lity pillar and as such ZCDC is implemenƟn­g a host of strategies aimed at improving the welfare of the community and protecƟng the environmen­t in which it operates.”

Some of the notable projects that have been undertaken by ZCDC include construcƟo­n of Gandauta Secondary School Science laboratory block and installaƟo­n of electricit­y and computers, rehabilita­Ɵon of Banda primary school, rehabilita­Ɵon of Chiadzwa and Mukwada clinics, construcƟo­n of bridges and rehabilita­Ɵon of roads.

In a widely celebrated effort to address the perennial challenges of safe drinking water, the mining company has also championed the installaƟo­n of boreholes in various Marange and Arda Transau communiƟes. To date the company has installed and repaired over 15 boreholes in the Marange and Arda Transau area.

CommenƟng on the community engagement efforts by the ZCDC, Malvern Mudiwa the Chairperso­n of Marange Developmen­t Trust expressed saƟsfacƟon over the response by ZCDC to their reach out. The Trust, which also works hard to promote empowermen­t for all the people of Marange, parƟcularl­y the marginalis­ed including the disabled, children, women and the elderly, is on the brink of signing a Memorandum of Understand­ing with the state diamond miner.

“We are pleased to note that some of the developmen­tal needs we raised with ZCDC have begun to be addressed. For example, Mukwada clinic, which was on the verge of collapse is now being rehabilita­ted whilst the water situaƟon in Tinoenga village, which was patheƟc has been addressed. We are also pleased that as they had promised, refurbishm­ent of the road that links Mukwada and Kusena via Betera has begun. As a Trust we definitely acknowledg­e such a gesture by the mining company”, said Mudiwa. Dr Mpofu highlighte­d that contrary to the expectaƟon­s of both the Community, Government, Civil society and other stakeholde­rs, since the discovery of diamonds in Chiadzwa and the subsequent mining by previous miners, developmen­t in the Marange area bears liƩle resemblanc­e of the wealth that the area has created, and has potenƟal to create. This is part of the reasons why ZCDC has taken deliberate acƟon to engage the community with the intenƟon of addressing key societal and environmen­tal legacy issues that impact the wellbeing of the community and its environmen­t.

“We acknowledg­e that a lot sƟll needs to be done and give assurance of our commitment to pay due regard to corporate social responsibi­lity and environmen­t protecƟon and rehabilita­Ɵon” said Dr Mpofu.

Though sƟll in its early years of existence having commenced operaƟons in 2016, ZCDC has made visible efforts to put in place sustainabl­e community developmen­t programmes with a monthly budget set aside for community developmen­t. The company's involvemen­t in community issues is visible. Despite the legacy of unfulfille­d promises that have in the past and even now sƟll form the bone of the At a colourful event held in Mutare to launch the “Invest in Manicaland Magazine,” which ZCDC co-sponsored and supported with other companies in Manicaland, ZCDC was commended and honored for its different sustainabl­e and effecƟve approach to Community developmen­t and empowermen­t.

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