LUPANE - Companies awarded tender to harvest timber in Lupane could soon be forced to remit part of their proceeds towards the development of the areas they have been operating from.In an interview, Kusile Rural District Council CEO, Mhlaseli Mpofu, said there was a need for the companies to take part in corporate social responsibility activities in their respective areas of operation.
He said the idea was aimed at addressing the adverse shortage of furniture in most schools in the tree species-rich district of Matabeleland North province. We have drawn a programme for all concessionaires harvesting in our area which will see them handing over portions of timber that will go towards furniture making projects which they would be undertaking, Mpofu said.
He said Platinum Timbers, which is the only company harnessing timber in KRDCs Shabula-Manase concession, had already shown interest in producing school furniture. The pilot project will target schools in Pupu, Malunku and St Pauls areas.Most of the schools in these areas have an acute shortage of furniture with students resorting to sitting on bricks or on the floor.
Mpofu said plans have been put in place to effectively utilize the state of the art carpentry workshop at Fatima High School for mass production of school furniture. As council we have carpenters and we are prepared to assist schools in the making of furniture and we also encourage them to include carpentry or wood work in them curriculum so as to ease the shortage of furniture.
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