Big break for Maluti-A-Phofung co-ops

By Libuseng Nyaka

QWAQWA – The chairperson of Qwakanda, one of four agriculture cooperatives  that have received gardening tools from Nedbank, Lehlohonolo Mabaso, has hailed the bank’s gesture as one that will go a long way in alleviating poverty.

Mabaso said the cooperatives will be in a better position to produce more vegetables to feed the members and sell the surplus.

“We are very humbled because we were just doing what we could to survive, and receiving these tools will maximize our production. We will not only eat fresh and healthy vegetables, but also sell to generate income so that we can be able to attend to other needs. We thank Nedbank and our municipality for the gesture,” Mabaso said.

The other cooperatives are Khulani Mafrika, Take and Leave  and Remmoho ka matsoho. They each received five wheelbarrows, five digging forks, five spades, five rakes, five hosepipes, two watering cans and a sprinkler. The donations from Nedbank also included two water tanks, 21 bags of fertiliser and 43 poles.

The donation follows a promise that Nedbank business banking and commercial business, Jabulani Tshabalala, made in December 2021 after donating food parcels to needy families. This time the bank is empowering families to achieve food security by growing their own vegetables.

Tshabalala said Nedbank was ploughing back into the community where it does it’s business.”

In appreciation, the executive mayor of Maluti-A-Phofung local municipality Gilbert Mokotso said the Nedbank donations come at a time when food security is threatened by climate change and resource degradation, along with a struggling economy and increasing income disparities.

“This is the beginning; we want to see every citizen here  growing their own vegetables, feeding themselves, selling and saving money and eventually becoming commercial farmers. We are happy with what  Nedbank has done;  this will go a long way in alleviating poverty in our community.”

Mokotso went on encourage cooperatives to bank with Nedbank because it is a good partner that remembers the community.

The purchase of equipment was facilitated by Boikarabelo Baka Development Organisation, which was chosen by Nedbank.