By Staff Reporter
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) Ward 6 Committee recently began producing hand sanitizers at their production facilities in Mtapa which they intend to distribute for free to the business community as part of their efforts to help curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Our priority as GRRA Ward 6 Committee – right now and always – is the safety and well-being of our business community and society at large. We are determined to support our government in its bid to halt the current rapid spread of COVID-19 and good hygiene remains one of the most effective options to do so,” says Spiwe Nzira, GRRA Ward 6 Chairperson.
As a result, GRRA Ward 6 Committee committed over 100 liters of sanitizers towards various residents operating small to medium enterprises that include hair salons, garages, hardware shops, tuckshops among others.
George Mutasa, a barber said this pandemic is perhaps the greatest challenge our country has faced and calls on businesses and various communities to work together to overcome the virus.
“We hope everyone will heed the President’s call to remain united and adhere to the lockdown, for all our sakes, but especially to protect the most vulnerable,” said Mutasa.
However. GRRA continues to work closely with local structures to identify these communities and support the roll-out of the sanitizers.
GRRA Executive Director, Cornilia Selipiwe said they recognized the spread of the coronavirus in the community and the failure of SMEs to follow World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 guidelines and government directives, therefore it was necessary to distribute hand sanitizers for free.
“We fully understand that our position as a residents association in the community comes with a societal obligation and responsibility. We want communities to benefit from our presence and we are determined to rise to the challenge,
“Businesses are opened in our communities and they are the ones that meet with residents frequently. We discovered that most SMEs are not adhering to WHO guidelines and government directives. Therefore we had to walk the talk instead of watching. I truly thank the ward 6 committee for this bold approach to dealing with the COVID-19 virus,” said Selipiwe.
GRRA has taken further measures to ensure that it supports the government-sanctioned lock-down by canceling all workshops, closing their offices to visitors until further notice, and ensuring that all employees who are not involved in the day-to-day operations work from home.
Additionally, GRRA is empowering its local structures with relevant information and is on course to launch a vaccination campaign.
