JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – KwaZulu-Natal mineral sands mining and beneficiation company Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) has committed R1.5-million towards meeting mine community food, water and health needs during the Covid-19 crisis. 

RBM, which Rio Tinto manages as a 74% shareholder, produces predominantly rutile, zircon, titania slag and high purity iron, pledged the funds at the opening of the uMhlathuze municipal food bank. Broad-based black economic empowerment consortium Blue Horizon owns a 24% of RBM and an employee trust the remaining 2%.

The company stated in a release to Mining Weekly on Wednesday that the uMhlathuze and uMfolozi municipalities would each receive R450 000 and the King Cetshwayo district municipality R500 000.

The pledge follows a donation of critical supplies including hand sanitiser, masks and gloves totalling R100 000 to community health clinics.

uMhlathuze Mayor Mduduzi Mhlongo noted when officially opening the food bank its importance in mitigating the negative impact that the coronavirus has on communities and vulnerable groups and called on industries, the business sector, and nongovernmental organisations to contribute.

RBM MD Werner Duvenhage pledged to continue to work with the wider business community in Richards Bay and the district health authorities to help fight this crisis and put the mine’s community back on the path to sustainable development.

In the King Cetshwayo district municipality which is experiencing acute water shortages, RBM is providing water tankers and 50 water storage tanks with 5 000 l capacity.

In addition, food hampers and coronavirus hygiene products such as masks, gloves, sanitisers and soap have been distributed within the district municipality through the district health officials for distribution to needy families to help them adhere to the strict hygiene requirements aimed at alleviating the spread of the virus.

RBM is also working to assist learners during lockdown and beyond, partnering with the Department of Education to produce study aids for grade four to seven learners in its host communities.