The government has commended mining companies for partnering YAFM and cycling clubs in the promotion of fitness and wellness across communities in Zimbabwe through the Nedbank Tour de Great Dyke.
Speaking at the launch of the Nedbank Tour de Great Dyke 2022 at The Venue in Avondale, Harare yesterday, the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development Dr Polite Kambamura said the mining Industry values wellness and fitness as it has a great impact in production.
“In mining, we especially value wellness as it impacts on production since a sickly workforce will surely be hard pressed to meet production targets.
“I know all the major mining houses have a robust wellness programme for employees and the community which supports healthy behavior and improvement of health outcomes with prevention of illness as the key element of the programme.
“The miners have also selflessly allowed their cyclists to participate in the race, contributing to its success. Let me also commend the various cycling clubs that have participated over the years and new ones that are taking part in the race for the first time,” he said.
Dr Kambamura added that this year marks a milestone development with the birth of a big partnership for YAFM with the financial service provider Nedbank and has seen the race taking a new identity as the Nedbank Tour de Great Dyke.
“Nedbank has an extensive and solid footprint and performance with its range of financial services in Zimbabwe including in the Great Dyke.
“Their partnership in the tour is motivated by their existing financial relations with mining communities and the shared belief in promoting wellness and good health in these communities which were made more pertinent by the Covid- 19 pandemic.
“Under the pandemic mining was actually resilient and supporting communities at the receiving end of a horrible disease that curtailed other economic activities.
“That resilience and tenacity will once again be demonstrated by over 100 cyclists who are expected to take part in the grueling race over 300 kilometers from the 27 to the 29 of October 2022,” he added.
Speaking at the same occasion, the Nedbank Executive Head of Sales and Origination Heresy Herry said Nedbank is pleased to partner YAFM led by its chairman Munyaradzi Hwengwere on such an initiative.
“It gives us great pleasure to partner the chairman of this great initiative. I think one thing we are excited about is in such a way with a vision from the chairman when he propagated this idea which has since taken shape and also seen us all coming to play.
“So I would like to commend and say congratulations to the chairman for this very bold initiative. As Nedbank as you know we are a multi-national financial services provider which is trading in four continents. Some of you know we are in Africa, but we are also in North America, Asia and also in Europe. So we do have criteria that we are looking at whenever we are making a decision to choose a partner.
“One of the first thing that we look at is to say does it comport with our values, because we have got a set of values. It’s not every initiative that the company apply as a bank. So I must say based on the tests that we have done it passed with flying colors.
“This is exactly in our ability to hold and in our territory as Nedbank. I am sure as you know corporate social investment pillars of wellness and health, they are right at the center of the initiative.
“This initiative is coming out from Midlands and that’s reason enough, and the fact that it is coming out from Midlands, in Shona we say ‘Kandiro kanoenda kunobva kamwe’, we have enjoyed so much custom out of the community coming out of Midlands,” he said.
Nedbank Tour de Great Dyke is organized by YAFM with support from the title sponsor Nedbank and mining companies such as Mimosa, Zimplats and Unki.
Tour de Great Dyke was launched in 2016 to promote miner wellness, love for the environment and raise awareness of the investment opportunities in the Great Dyke geological complex which is home to the country’s major mining houses such as Mimosa, Unki , Zimplats, Zimasco, Afrochine and Great Dyke Investments.
Part of the proceeds from the tour is used to support Gifted Children Foundation which assists vulnerable but talented children to acquire decent education.
