Unfulfilled Promises: Hungry San Community Plead For Maize-meal Promised By Zanu PF

By Nyembezi Khumalo

Tsholotsho, December 04, 2013 –  The San community in Mgodimasili in Tsholotsho, Matabeleland North province have appealed to Zanu PF party officials to release maize meal which the late Vice President, John Nkomo bought for them before he died.

The San were shown a truckload of 10kg bags of maize-meal at the late VP’s homestead in Manqe in March during a visit by a Zanu-PF delegation led by party chairman, Simon Khaya-Moyo.

The Zanu-PF delegation comprising of Politburo members to low ranking officials had visited the homestead to console the late VP’s mother, MaDube, following his death in January.

According to Madlela Maphosa, the leader of the San community in Mgodimasili, the Zanu PF delegation brought a truckload of maize-meal and were promised that a proper handover ceremony will follow.

Since March to date, the San are still waiting for the maize meal amid reports from Zanu-PF sources that it was diverted by some party officials.

“We are hungry and still waiting for the promised maize-meal. We are appealing for the release of that maize-meal to alleviate hunger. We were told that we would get the maize meal,” Maphosa told Radio VOP.

Siwatshi Moyo, a member of the San group added: “We do know why they are doing this to us (withholding our maize-meal). It is evil what they are doing.”

Zanu-PF Matabeleland North provincial chairman, Richard Moyo advised the San to approach the party’s office for any food assistance.

“The San should come to our offices (Zanu-PF) if they need any food assistance. They should know the right channels,” Moyo noted.

The San’s Mgodimasili is a settlement where about 200 people live in abject poverty and in dilapidated thatch mud huts.

A few kilometres away lies the neighbouring village of Tjitatjawa which boasts of better houses with corrugated iron roofs, showing the unequal living conditions of two communities.