Over one thousand community members in Marikana, outside Rustenburg, North West, are continuing to benefit from Agri-Hub – an NGO launched by the Mineworkers Development Agency in partnership with Sibanye-Stillwater and Rand Mutual Assurance with the aim of promoting sustainable socio-economic development in mining communities through agriculture.
The partners also signed a Coalition Compact of Public and Private dedicated towards Socio-Economic development.
Since its inception in May, the agency has established a two thousand strong egg-layer programme, with each bird producing a minimum of three hundred and twenty eggs per year.
According to the Head of Strategy, Luthando Brukwe, the team has planted hundred fruit and indigenous trees in schools, clinics, and Early Childhood Centres.
Brukwe said about a thousand households have been given seeds and training based on how they’re committed in maintaining their food gardens, and will be provided with garden tools and watering cans.
When the Agri-Hub was launched, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe, had acknowledged the critical role that the MDA played in mining communities.
The Minister said that addressing the high unemployment rate is a challenge the government cannot address alone, adding that the government will continue to work with various partners to deal with inequality, poverty and unemployment.
He further said that the MDA Agri-Hub is one of the ways that mining can enhance community welfare and empower our people to become economically active.
