Chinese company Palabora Mining Company (PMC), whose main shareholder is HBIS Group, joined hands with the Palabora Foundation to ensure the less fortunate and vulnerable communities identified through the assistance of Social Development Department of South Africa have access to food and other basic needs during these difficult times.

Abby Ledwaba, Community Relationship Manager of PMC, said, “As a business, we understand that everyone is negatively affected by the epidemic, more so, the less fortunate and employees of smaller businesses. We ensured that we distribute food aid parcels to identified household beneficiaries since the start of the pandemic.”

A total of 96 households benefited from the food parcel distribution as of May 8, 2020, with PMC aiming to reach a higher number in the near future. Each food parcel contained 10 kg of rice, 10 kg of maize meal, 2-liters of cooking oil, 10 kg of sugar, one box of tea bags, a bar of anti-bacterial bathing soap, baked beans, a box of cremora powder milk, a tin of fish, a can of corned meat, dish washing liquid soap, 2kg of laundry powder soap and sachets of soup.

Engelina Mkheswani (52) from Majeje Village was identified by South African Social Development Department as one of the food aid relief beneficiaries. Mkheswani has three dependents with no form of income during this time.

“I am pleased to see PMC visiting us and happier to be a recipient of the food parcel aid. I normally perform jobs as a domestic worker to feed my family, but now we have been told to stay at home to prevent the spread of the virus. I have nothing to eat or money to buy food. I am really relieved to have received this food parcel, it will keep us from going hungry,” says Mkheswani.