Kumba Iron Ore Limited("Kumba")recently funded the purchase of 77 emergency vehicles(60 ambulances,12 planned patient transport service vehicles and 5 emergency rescue vehicles.)as part of the Northern Cape Department of Health's emergency vehicle replacement strategy.
At a handover ceremony held in Kimberly,Norman Mbazima,Kumba's Chief Executive,presented the keys to the emergency vehicles to Grizelda Cjiekella,acting Premier of the Northern Cape.
Also present were Mxolisi Sokatsha,MEC for Health,Pauline Williams,MEC for Sports,Arts and Culture,Sandra Beukes,Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health,Khadi Moloi,Executive Mayor of Frances Baard District Municipality,and the mayors of all the towns where the emergency vehicles are being deployed.
The Kumba Emergency Vehicle Project is the latest in a series of upliftment initiatives aimed at meeting communities'needs.This project is particularly important for the Northern Cape,as one of the poorer provinces in South Africa.This community investment is valued at approximately R37 million and will see the province's aging emergency vehicles being replaced with brand new vehicles equipped with the latest technology.The vehicles will be distributed to all five district municipalities-Frances Baard;Siyanda;JT Gaetsewe;Pixlry Ka Seme and Namakwa.The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa,covering an area of 372,889 km²and with a population of less than 1.5 million.
The Northern Cape's Emergency Medical Service and Planned Patient Transport Service-the EMS and PPTS-have reached a critical stage in their development.Not only have the needs and expectations of the community increased significantly over the past 16 years,but developments in clinical knowledge and health technology have out-paced their ability to keep up with national and international standards.
Speaking at the official handover,Norman Mbazima,CEO of Kumba,said:"We are extremely excited about this project as it allows us to work collaboratively with the Department of Health and local government in achieving the health goals of the community and our own employees.This initiative is in line with our Millennium Development Goals of focussing on a long and healthy life for all South Africans,which translates into reducing infant mortality,decreasing TB and HIV and Aids infection rates,decreasing death and disability caused by chronic diseases,and increasing the overall health of beneficiaries in general."
Kumba is working with NGO's,service providers and government agencies in the Northern Cape to provide much needed services and facilities in areas where employees and local communities don't have access to healthcare facilities.
Our recent health and welfare initiatives,which have made a significant difference thus far,include Kumba's nine Batho Pele Health Mobile Units which serve the isolated villages of the John Taoloa Gaetsewe district,delivering free primary and secondary healthcare to a potential 14 800 people;the Ulysses GogiModise wellness clinic in Kathu which provides CCT services and anti-retroviral treatment to the people of the Gamagara local municipality and;the Thabazimbi community wellness clinic which is run in partnership with the Limpopo Province Department of Health,and provides primary healthcare services to the community.
"We recognise that our investment in our workforce is not sustainable unless benefits flow through to the members of the local communities,many of whom may not have access to healthcare,"Mbazima concluded.
Kumba's total Social and Community Development expenditure for 2012 will amount to about R320 million.
