HARARE - Harare City Council yesterday received borehole water purification gadgets valued at $150 000 from mining giant Mbada Diamonds.

The donation of 235 inline chlorinators follows council’s appeal for corporates to assist in purifying polluted boreholes scattered around Harare’s suburbs.

Harare mayor Muchadeyi Masunda told delegates during the handover ceremony at Town House that council needed such partnerships to improve waste management and water provision.

“Although it is a comparatively new player in the mining sector Mbada Diamonds has hit the ground running. It is not often that you have a company living up to its motto.  

“We have seen the extent in which they have been involved in community oriented projects principally soccer up until now. They are going to make even better impact as I understand they are not just supporting Harare but also the city of Mutare,” said Masunda.

“The other thing is that they are swift footed, you know how swift and smart the leopard is, they responded very quickly and outsmarted everyone who had knocked on our doors intending to help,” he said.

He commended Mbada for being part of organisations that successfully lobbied the Kimberly Process to declare Zimbabwean diamonds clean.

“In the short time they have been in the business, they have successfully managed to convince the KPCS powers that the diamonds they mine are clean. That is why there have been acceptance begrudgingly by players in the body seeing there is nothing wrong. So there is need to congratulate Mbada not only for their sake but also other players in the sector,” said Masunda.

Mbada diamonds, said Masunda, was one of the few companies in the country that respects equal representation of men and women in workplaces further describing them as “men of action”.

“Having a look at their guest list of 16 executives, the thing that strikes you is how gender sensitive they are because eight of them are ladies. For that reason, let me extend my sincere admiration to retired Air Vice Marshal Robert Mhlanga because there are not many companies that live up to these gender issues. If I am not mistaken, your chief executive is a lady,” said the mayor.

Town Clerk, Tendai Mahachi appealed to other corporates to emulate what Mbada did.

Masunda pleaded with communities to safeguard the “valuable assets” from vandalism and pledged to help the mining giant acquire land for the construction of a value addition plant for employment creation.

George Manyaya, Mbada corporate affairs executive, said the donation affirmed the company’s desire to contribute towards the elimination of waterborne diseases.

“We are partnering the City of Harare in efforts to combat a common enemy, whose prowess brought us tears, pain and has left us a void which is impossible to fill,” said Manyaya.

“Mbada has seen it a noble gesture to also partner with the city in its drive to make sure that Harare residents get access to clean and safe drinking water as well as save every single life,” he said.

Manyaya pledged his company’s commitment to availing safe water and improving waste management to communities around the country.

Mbada last year scooped many awards at the National Social Security Authority awards for having the best policies and performance in various categories. -
Wendy Muperi